US supporting UAE’s collusion with al-Qaeda in Yemen: Ansarullah

“In the wake of the Saudi-led onslaught on Yemen and the aggressor’s desperate need for mercenaries, the UAE has cemented its relationship with al-Qaeda under the auspices of the United States,” Yemen’s Arabic-language al-Masirah television network cited Mohammed Abdul-Salam as writing on his official Twitter page on Tuesday.

He added, “The recent report by The Associated Press attests to the fact that [Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE's Armed Forces] Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is a modern version of al-Qaeda leaders, and that Abu Dhabi serves as a hideout of the criminal group.”

The Associated Press report states that the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen, backed by the United States, has been paying some al-Qaeda commanders to leave key Yemeni cities, while allowing others to retreat with weapons, equipment and wads of looted cash.

It further noted that the Riyadh-based alliance has even recruited hundreds of al-Qaeda militants in Yemen.

Moreover, Washington was aware of the coalition’s secret deals with al-Qaeda, and avoided assassination drone strikes against members of the dangerous terror network.

“Elements of the US military are clearly aware that much of what the US is doing in Yemen is aiding AQAP (al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) and there is much angst about that,” Michael Horton, a fellow at the Washington DC-based Jamestown Foundation, commented.

Some 15,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression.

The United Nations says a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in need of food aid, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger.

A high-ranking UN aid official has warned against the “catastrophic” living conditions in Yemen, stating that there is a growing risk of famine and cholera there.

“The conflict has escalated since November, driving an estimated 100,000 people from their homes,” John Ging, UN director of aid operations, told the UN Security Council on February 27.