HODEIDAH- A military source in the brigades of the so-called Amaliqah, or Giants Brigades, a Wahhabi armed gang active in the West of Yemen, has revealed the deployment of new troops from Tihamah, who have been trained in Mocha city by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) occupation forces along the coastline.

The source confirmed that the UAE has trained new forces loyal to Tariq Afash, the nephew of former Saudi-backed Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been formed under the name of “Tihaman Belt Forces”, and have celebrated their graduation over the past days. This was reported by Almashahad Aljanoubi outlet.

The sources also indicated that these forces have begun to deploy on the West Coast, and have established a new number of military checkpoints.

It was also noted that the UAE is preparing to expel all militants from the southern provinces out of the West Coast fronts, with deadly force when deemed necessary. The UAE has often relied on southern Yemeni militias for its strategic goals, but recently tensions have arisen between the Emirati occupation forces and southern separatists, leading Abu Dhabi to rely more on Wahhabi mercenaries from Tihamah and its surroundings.

The fact that the UAE’s exclusion of the militants from the southern provinces came as its second military plan in the West Coast is reportedly due to its confidence in Tariq Afash and his gunmen.

Tariq Afash was the head of the Presidential Guard under the rule of his uncle Saleh, and commanded Saleh’s troops when the former Yemeni president betrayed Yemen and launched a failed coup d’état in November 2017. He is currently wanted for treason by the National Salvation Government of Yemen, and is considered one of the main mercenary leaders in the employment of the Saudi-UAE invaders.