Friday was the saddest day in this country's history since the passing of Sheikh Zayed in 2004. At the weekend, the nation lost 45 of its faithful sons in Yemen. To honour them, the Government declared a three-day period of mourning for the soldiers who, as Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said, "have made the ultimate sacrifice" and "demonstrated utmost love and loyalty to their country".
Our sadness is mixed with enormous pride. Those 45 brave men gave their lives supporting Arab solidarity as well as our national interests. They were fully aware of the dangers they faced in their work, yet they chose to devote themselves to this country’s goal of returning Yemen to stability and safety. Their dedication will not be forgotten.
Neither will their deaths deter us from completing the liberation of Marib. Instead, they will strengthen our determination to complete our mission and liberate Yemen from the illegitimate control of Houthis and other militias, who have pushed the country towards a violent abyss. The UAE and its allies will never allow Yemen to be stolen from its own people. This explains why UAE Air Force fighter jets launched a fresh wave of devastating strikes on Houthi targets hours after the 45 soldiers had lost their lives.
Helping Yemen to regain stability and get back on a legitimate political track is critical for our country, as well as other nations in the region. Yemen is a strategic border that must be secured against the sectarian and extremist ideologies that threaten our security.
The Saudi-led coalition answered a call for help from Yemen's legitimate leadership. This is entirely consistent with the UAE's willingness to extend a helping hand to friendly nations around the world.
While those brave men have given their precious lives for a noble cause, residents and citizens have also dug deep to give more than Dh500 million in charitable donations in the past week to support the Yemeni people and rebuild the country's infrastructure. The Emirates Red Crescent's Yemen: We Care campaign has already sent more than 15,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Yemen, including nine relief ships, in addition to land convoys through Saudi Arabia.
The families of the fallen soldiers, as well as other people of the UAE should be proud of the soldiers’ sacrifice. May their souls rest in peace. May we all have patience and strength during such times. Friday’s events serve as a powerful reminder that the price of peace is often high.
