WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Armed forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have carried out successful liberation of Yemeni port Mukalla from an al-Qaeda affiliate in the country, UAE embassy in the United States said in a Twitter message on Friday.
"Liberation of Al Mukalla from Al Qaeda successful in every aspect," the embassy stated citing UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash. "UAE armed forces excelled in planning & performance."
Earlier on Friday, the Pentagon announced that it had deployed a small number of US troops to provide intelligence assistance for operations in Mukalla.
The Pentagon said the US troops deployed about two weeks ago and would stay for a "short term" in a "fixed location" to support the operations of the Yemeni and the UAE militaries.
Since 2014, Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between the government headed by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Shiite Houthi rebels, supported by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
