'Our soldiers played decisive role in foiling sectarian plots'

The participation of the UAE's armed forces as part of the Saudi Arabia-led operations 'Decisive Storm' and 'Restoring Hope' adds a new chapter to the UAE's glory, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has said.
Applauding the efforts of the first batch of UAE soldiers, who arrived home yesterday after handing over responsibilities to a new batch in Yemen, Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed said the UAE military is renowned for it sacrifices and achievements.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed said the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is "very proud of your sacrifices for the UAE's security".
"This participation played a decisive role in defeating plots of sectarian and rebellious militias against the legitimate government in Yemen and in preserving Yemen's Arabic identity ... Their (militias') conspiracies backfired right from the beginning when the Arab Coalition was formed to regain legitimacy and to liberate Yemen from such bandits. The coalition has sent a key message that Arabs still have the will and ability to work together to maintain their sovereignty and unity and will go up against any attempt to interfere in their internal affairs under any slogan or pretext," said Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
"On this day, we pray to Allah the Almighty for our martyrs who granted us the strength and determination to win and to defeat the aggressors. Our hero martyrs did us proud. We also salute their families whose exemplary patience, fortitude and patriotism inspired this generation and the generations to come. I say to them with confidence: The bloodshed of your sons will not be in vain." To the second batch of soldiers who have gone to Yemen, he said: "While working with the other Arab Coalition forces to complete the task of cleaning Yemen from remnants of rebellious militias, remember that you are carrying with you the ethics and values of UAE and your forefathers' legacy."
Commenting on the operation itself, Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed said: "We haven't gone to Yemen in pursuit of selfish interests. We haven't attacked any one and we never beat drums of war. The war was imposed on us after all peaceful solutions were exhausted and after Yemen fell to the grip of armed militias with destructive sectarian agenda, not only for Yemen, but for the whole region." - Wam