The United Arab Emirates has denied allegations that it operates secret prisons in southern Yemen, describing the claims as false and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the allegations were “deliberate fabrications” and a “blatant attempt to advance political agendas at the expense of truth”.
The denial followed claims by officials in Yemen’s Hadramawt province, who are backed by Saudi Arabia, that Emirati forces were running secret detention centres in the area.
The accusations come amid rising tensions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, two key members of the Gulf coalition that intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 to fight Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Although both countries entered the conflict as allies, they later backed rival factions in southern Yemen, deepening divisions within the coalition.
The rift widened after recent clashes between UAE-backed separatist forces and Saudi-backed units, leading Abu Dhabi to withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen.
The situation escalated further after UAE-backed forces advanced into parts of Hadramawt and Mahra provinces last month. The move was later reversed following Saudi air strikes and the deployment of allied ground forces.
Speaking on Monday, Hadramawt’s governor told foreign media invited by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, including AFP, that “a number of secret prisons used by Emirati forces” had been discovered.
Responding, the UAE defence ministry said the claims were misleading.
“The facilities referred to are merely military accommodation, operations rooms and fortified shelters, some of which are located underground,” the statement said.
It added that attempts to link the UAE to secret prisons raised questions about the intentions behind the allegations.
“The attempt to implicate the United Arab Emirates in such allegations raises serious questions about the true motives and parties behind the promotion of these falsehoods,” the ministry said.
Saudi Arabia is currently working to strengthen its control over government-held areas in southern Yemen, while northern regions, home to most of the country’s population, remain under Houthi control.
The war in Yemen, now in its second decade, has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions displaced and dependent on aid.
