News - Yemen: Yemen’s Ministry of Transport and Public Works has condemned the United Arab Emirates’s attempts to seize control of Socotra Airport through the Emirati company "Eastern Triangle." It warned against the UAE's continued implementation of a Zionist agenda that threatens Yemen’s security and sovereignty.

In an official statement, the ministry called on the people of Socotra and all free Yemenis to resist the Emirati occupier’s violations of national sovereignty. It accused the UAE of using the airport for intelligence operations that not only harm Yemen but also destabilize the entire region.

The ministry reaffirmed that the only legitimate authority for regulating air operations within Yemen is the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology in Sana'a.

It also criticized the Southern Transitional Council (STC) for collaborating with the UAE to seize Yemen’s vital resources in Socotra and other occupied provinces. The ministry denounced the Aden-based authority’s permits and measures as illegal, stating they violate national legislation and undermine Yemeni sovereignty.

The ministry declared that these permits, issued through illegal procedures, are null and void, posing serious risks to national security and civil aviation resources. It accused the UAE of advancing foreign agendas that divert revenues to external entities without the approval of the legitimate authority in Sana’a.

Furthermore, it condemned the UAE’s continued execution of the American-Zionist agenda, calling on Yemenis—especially those in Socotra and the occupied southern provinces—to unite in resistance.

The ministry held the UN Security Council and the United Nations fully responsible for the consequences of Saudi-Emirati interventions, warning against their impact on Yemen’s security, sovereignty, and resources.

The Saudi-backed Minister of Transport, Abdul Salam Hamid, and the UAE-aligned Governor of Socotra, Raafat Al-Thaqali (Southern Transitional Council), recently agreed to hand over control of Socotra Airport to the Emirati company Eastern Triangle. This move is part of a broader strategy by the UAE to tighten its grip over the strategic Yemeni island.

Sources confirm that Eastern Triangle, managed by Emirati officer Saeed Ahmed Al Kaabi, has been authorized to oversee all airport operations, including replacing local employees with personnel of its choosing.

A memorandum from Al-Thaqali to Hamid requested approval for the establishment of the Socotra Aviation Services Center under the Eastern Triangle umbrella. The document claimed that the center would enhance aviation services, including technical training, aircraft maintenance, security, and ground operations.

In response, Hamid urgently directed the General Authority of Civil Aviation to authorize the center’s establishment, effectively placing the airport under Emirati control.

Since mid-June 2020, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has maintained control over Socotra. Over the years, STC authorities have facilitated Emirati expansion on the island by selling large tracts of land to Emirati companies and granting monopolistic rights over key services such as fuel and electricity.

The airport takeover reflects a wider pattern of UAE efforts to strengthen its geopolitical influence in Yemen, using Socotra as a strategic outpost for military and economic dominance in the region.