Emirati soldier dies guarding charity workers in Yemen

Captain Hadif Humaid Al Shamsi was killed when gunmen opened fire on his car parked outside a supermarket in Aden's Al Mansurah district.

Aden // An Emirati soldier was shot dead and another wounded on Saturday as they guarded charity workers in Aden.

Captain Hadif Humaid Al Shamsi was killed when gunmen opened fire on his car parked outside a supermarket in the city’s Al Mansurah district, a Yemeni security chief said. A second Emirati soldier was wounded in the attack.

The shooting comes two weeks after a series of suicide bombings targeted a building used as a base for the Emirates Red Crescent in Aden along with the hotel housing Yemen’s government. The attacks were carried out by a group claiming to be an affiliate of ISIL.

UAE forces played a leading role in expelling Houthi rebels from Aden and southern Yemen and Emirati charities have handled the bulk of aid distribution and rebuilding projects in the badly-damaged city.

But while the focus remains on defeating the Houthis and their allies, the UAE forces face other threats in the deeply unstable country, which is home to several extremist groups including Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Mohammed Mosaed, director of security in Aden, said Saturday’s attack was carried out by “terrorist members” who shot at the car with a rifle at about 11am Yemen time. He said the two soldiers were working with the Emirates Red Crescent.

“Cameras at the supermarket captured images of the cars and the gunmen, and the security forces are following the attackers,” he said.

All the checkpoints in Aden had been given the details of the gunmen, Mr Mosaed added.

It was not clear where the gunmen were attacking from or how they made their escape. As of Saturday evening, there was no claim of responsibility.

The General Command of UAE Armed Forces extended its “sincere condolences and solace to the family and relatives of the martyr, praying to the Almighty Allah to rest his soul in eternal peace,” the state news agency, Wam reported.

Elsewhere on Saturday, fierce clashes continued in Taez city which has become the focus of fighting. Yemeni forces along with a Saudi-led coalition are fighting to restore president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi to power after the Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh drove him from Sanaa more than a year ago.

But after being repelled from Aden in July and suffering heavy military defeats in recent weeks, the Houthis recently indicated to mediators that they were prepared to accept a UN peace deal.

On Saturday, the Yemeni government said it had been invited to take part in a new round of UN-brokered talks to end the conflict.

Spokesman Rajih Badi said the government had received the invitation from UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, via his envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to hold a new round of consultations to implement UN resolution 2216. The resolution calls for the withdrawal of rebel forces from territories they have captured and for them to lay down their arms.

Mr Badi said the government will “officially respond to the UN invitation within the next 48 hours”.

President Abdrabu Mansour Hadi has held talks with Mr Ban in past days to discuss “preparation for consultations to end the bloodshed”, sabanew.net reported.

Around 4,500 civilians have been killed in the conflict since March. Hundreds of Sudanese troops arrived Saturday in the southern port city of Aden “to take part in the coalition’s operations and secure the city”, Yemeni security officials said.

Sudan is part of the coalition backing Mr Hadi, but so far Saudi Arabia and the UAE have contributed the bulk of forces.

Since September 4, 62 UAE soldiers have died fighting in Yemen as part of Operation Restoring Hope.

Earlier this month, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said “martyrs will always remain a source of our pride and national symbols of glory and inspiration for generations.”

* With agencies