News - Yemen: The UAE regime continues its violations and occupation over the Yemeni island of Socotra, by appointing an Emirati military governor on the island.

Sources in Socotra stated that the UAE appointed Major Al-Anoud Ahmed Al-Saadi as governor of the strategic island, seeking to form a special council from the people of the island, in a repetition of the Hadramout scenario.

Al-Saadi is an officer in the UAE Ministry of Interior, and previously held the position of head of the Women's Police Council in the Emirate of Dubai.

The UAE had indirectly managed the island in the past years through the Khalifa Foundation, which was run by Khalfan Al Mazrouei, before Al Saadi was appointed.

In September 2020, press reports revealed that the UAE and its loyal factions on the island had carried out large-scale purchases of lands and important mountainous heights in the archipelago's tourist reserves, which were led by the Emirati representative, Khalfan Al Mazrouei, and a number of leaders affiliated with the coalition.

According to reports, among those lands are large areas in the coast (Delsha) located north of Socotra to the east of the capital, Hadiboh, which is one of the most beautiful and important tourist beaches that visitors and tourists from all over the world come to enjoy with its clean air and stunning views, and another in the national park in the reserve ( Dixum), in addition to buying a large area on the coast of the “Qa’ara” region, southwest of Socotra.

Reports confirmed that the Emirati delegate fenced off the land that was purchased and built inside, and placed strict security guards on it from outside Socotra and surveillance cameras to track citizens.

It is worth noting that Article (385) of the Yemeni Law of 2015 prohibits owning sea beaches, coasts and natural reserves, and the law regulates their exploitation and use.

Environmental experts and organizations had previously warned of the possibility of excluding Socotra from the World Natural Heritage List due to the tampering with which the island was exposed at the hands of the coalition forces.