Aden (South24 Center)

The UAE Ministry of Defense on Monday, January 19, denied what it described as “false and misleading allegations” regarding the discovery of weapons and explosives allegedly linked to its forces at Al-Rayyan Airport in Mukalla, as well as claims of the existence of “secret prisons” in Hadramout Governorate.

In a statement, the ministry said the accusations made by Hadramout Governor and Presidential Leadership Council member Salem Al-Khanbashi were “not based on any evidence” and were intended to mislead public opinion and damage the reputation of the UAE Armed Forces.

The statement emphasized that UAE forces officially completed their full withdrawal from Yemen on January 2, 2026, and transferred all their equipment, weapons, and devices in accordance with approved military procedures. This negates—according to the statement—any UAE military, logistical, or technical presence within Yemeni territory.

Addressing the allegations of “secret prisons” at Al-Rayyan Airport, the ministry clarified that the facilities in question are military barracks, operations rooms, and fortified shelters, noting that such structures exist in many airports and military installations worldwide.

The denial came in response to a press conference held by Al-Khanbashi in Mukalla, attended by Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani, in which Al-Khanbashi said local authorities, following the departure of UAE forces, found equipment, explosives, and hazardous components inside bases and camps, specifically in the vicinity of Al-Rayyan Airport, in addition to sites he claimed were used as secret prisons.

Al-Khanbashi added that these developments were linked to the “gross violations” witnessed in the governorate during the period of control by UAE-backed forces, referring to the Hadrami Elite Forces.

In response, Southern Transitional Council (STC) official spokesperson Anwar Al-Tamimi said that “attempts to undermine the UAE's role in maintaining security on the Hadramout Coast ignore established facts on the ground,” noting that before the establishment of the Hadrami Elite Forces, the coast witnessed more than 300 assassinations, which subsequently stopped after its liberation from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

Al-Tamimi explained that the military presence at Al-Rayyan Airport was not limited to the UAE, but also included Saudi forces and others operating as part of the International Coalition to Combat Terrorism.

Amid this controversy, activists recirculated a July 2017 report by Al-Arabiya channel, which cited field investigations by civil society organizations concluding that no secret prisons existed at Al-Rayyan Airport or elsewhere in Hadramout, confirming the sites were military facilities and detention centers for terrorism suspects under the supervision of Yemeni officers.

These developments come amid new security and political arrangements in Hadramout following the takeover by Saudi-backed forces earlier this year and the withdrawal of Southern forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council.