PROXY WARS: Houthi leader lambastes UAE over row with Somalia

That both UAE and Houthis are sworn enemies in a long drawn war in Yemen sends disturbing signals to Somalia over concerns the two are extending their rivalries to the Horn of Africa.

The Iranian allied Houthi rebels have told off UAE over what it termed as interference in Somalia stocking fears of proxy wars between the two factions who are locked in a three year deadly war in Yemen which has since cost tens of thousands of lives.

The group’s head of Revolutionary Committee Mohamed Ali Houthi said in a tweet Friday the group supported Somalia and condemned the UAE calling the Gulf nation to ‘distance its filth from Somalia.”

“We declare our support for the Brotherhood in Somalia, condemn all the actions of the Emirati entity in the affairs of Somalia,” said al-Houthi

The group which has been fending off a Saudi-led offensive since it took control of the capital San’aa in 2014 and pushed southwards towards the second biggest city, Aden asked the UAE to draw lessons from US experience in Somalia.

“..and tell the two emirates to stay away and your filth from these free people who taught the Americans a lesson that will never be forgotten and get out before it is too late.”

The US lesson is purportedly the black-hawk down fiasco in 1993 when Somali rebels shot down a US military plane and dragged bodies of US marines along the streets of Mogadishu forcing the US to pull out its troops from Somalia.

The remarks from al-Houthi, come amid an ensuing diplomatic row between Somalia and UAE which has resulted in the cancellation of military support to Somalia and closure of a UAE run hospital in Mogadishu.

PROXY WARS

Somalia has severally accused the UAE of infringing on its sovereignty and even went ahead to register its complaints in the Arab League and the UN Security Council. That both UAE and Houthis are sworn enemies in a long drawn war in Yemen sends disturbing signals to Somalia over concerns the two are extending their rivalries to the Horn of Africa.

The development also reinforces concerns over UAE’s move to build a naval base in Somaliland with analysts arguing the base could become a possible target by the Houthis roping Somalia into a clash between the Middle Eastern factions.

Somalia has however indicated it is pursuing diplomatic talks with the Gulf nation to avert further fall-out. Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Awaad said Friday Somalia would be returning the $9.6 million seized in a UAE plane in Mogadishu early this month.

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