UAE says its war in Yemen 'practically over'

Dubai, 16 June. - (ANA) - The United Arab Emirates' involvement in more than a year of war in Yemen is "practically over", a top diplomat was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

The UAE is key member of a Saudi-led military coalition which intervened in Yemen in March 2015. It backs the exiled government against the armed Houthi movement, which Saudi Arabia and the UAE fear is a proxy for their regional arch-rival, Iran.

"Our position today is clear: the war is practically over for our troops," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash was quoted as saying in a closed-door speech by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed's official twitter account.

"We are looking at political arrangements and our political role now is to empower the Yemenis in the liberated areas."

A Houthi missile killed more than 60 Gulf Arab troops stationed in central Yemen in September, including 52 Emiratis, the worst loss ever suffered by the UAE military.

UAE troops led a Yemeni government offensive against al Qaeda fighters in April, expelling them their base in the southern port city of Mukalla.

While Saudi Arabia is backing a push on the Houthi-held capital Sanaa in Yemen's northwest, the UAE has focused on stabilizing the southern city of Aden which has suffered repeated attacks by al Qaeda and Islamic State militants. - (ANA) -

AB/ANA/ 16 June 2016 - - -