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Yemeni officials aligned with Saudi Arabia have accused the United Arab Emirates of running secret detention facilities in southern Yemen, marking the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the two Gulf nations that once fought as allies in the country's protracted civil war.
Salem al-Khanbashi, a newly appointed member of Yemen's eight-seat presidential body, told a press conference Monday that authorities had discovered multiple clandestine prisons previously operated by Emirati forces.
"We have regretfully discovered a number of secret prisons used by Emirati forces," Khanbashi said. "We are currently documenting the violations committed against our people."
The allegations underscore deepening fractures between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which entered Yemen's conflict in 2015 as partners supporting the internationally recognized government against Iran-backed Houthis. The two nations have since backed competing factions within that same government, transforming former allies into rivals competing for influence in Yemen's fractured political landscape.
Khanbashi, who also serves as governor of Hadramawt province, stated that officials would pursue accountability for those allegedly responsible for human rights violations at the facilities.
"All necessary measures will be taken to hold the perpetrators of these violations accountable," he said, specifically naming Southern Transitional Council leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi and the UAE among those who could face consequences if proven involved.
Speaking to foreign journalists during a government-organized trip to Al-Mukalla in Hadramawt—one of two provinces briefly seized by separatists in December—Khanbashi promised authorities would provide evidence supporting the claims. Officials planned to take reporters on tours of the detention centers the following day.
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International human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have previously documented the existence of detention facilities operated by the UAE and its local partners, particularly the Southern Transitional Council, which receives backing from Abu Dhabi. The UAE has consistently rejected such allegations as politically motivated attempts to undermine its forces.
The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen soured after UAE-supported separatist forces attempted a land grab that angered Riyadh, prompting Saudi intervention to roll back the territorial gains. Following the UAE's withdrawal of its forces from Yemen, pro-Saudi factions have assumed control throughout the country's southern regions.
Earlier this month, Rashad al-Alimi, who leads Yemen's presidential body, issued directives to close illegal prisons and detention centers in areas formerly controlled by the Southern Transitional Council. His order also called for detainees held in those facilities to be either released or transferred to government-operated detention centers.
The UAE has not issued any public response to the recent accusations from Yemeni officials.
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