SANA’A – Aden security chief Shallal Shaye, who was appointed by the exiled Saudi-backed Hadi administration, has confirmed that detainees in a UAE-run prison have been jailed illegally by Emirati-backed militias in the city.

Speaking to the Abu Dhabi news channel about the situation of the Bir Ahmed prison, Shaya admitted that there were prisoners on hunger strike as a result of their illegal imprisonment.

“The prisoners’ files were recently filed with the proper authorities and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and these confirm that the prisoners were imprisoned outside the law and order,” he said.

Despite now coming clean about the situation, Shallal Shaye himself has so far been a UAE asset. In his capacity as security chief, he enabled UAE occupation forces to take control over southern Yemen for the past four years, and has himself imprisoned hundreds of people throughout the southern provinces by use of security forces assigned to him.

It is unclear whether or not the latest whistleblowing by Shaye indicates a break between him and his UAE commanders.