The UAE's ministry of defence on Tuesday "categorically denied" the allegations made by the governor of Hadhramaut, Salem Al Khanbashi , claiming to have allegedly discovered weapons and "secret prisons" linked to the UAE at an airbase in the country.
Al Khanbashi made the allegations in a televised press conference from the Riyan airbase near Mukalla.
The ministry said in a statement that the conference "contained false and misleading allegations devoid of any evidence or factual basis, regarding the purported discovery of quantities of weapons and explosives allegedly linked to the United Arab Emirates."
It added that "with regard to the allegations concerning the existence of so-called “secret prisons” at Riyan Airport, the MoD stressed that such claims are nothing more than deliberate fabrications and misinformation."
On January 2, the UAE announced it had completed the withdrawal of all counter-terrorism teams from Yemen. Its military presence within the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen ended in 2019, but it kept a limited number of specialized teams there as part of counter-terrorism efforts.
The ministry's statement said the withdrawal also included the transfer of all its equipment and weapons, "thereby conclusively eliminating any scope for interpretation or claims of any Emirati military, logistical or technical presence" inside Yemen.
With regards to Al Khanbashi's allegations that "secret prisons" were being run at the Riyan airport, the ministry said the claims were "nothing more than deliberate fabrications and misinformation aimed at constructing false narratives."
In addition, the UAE labelled the allegations made by Al Khanbashi as part of "a systematic campaign to distort the image of the United Arab Emirates and the sacrifices made by its soldiers in support of Yemen."
Saudi Arabia has led the anti-Houthi alliance since 2015, with the UAE playing a key role in halting the advance of the Iran-backed rebels, expelling them from the south, and combating extremist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS.
The city of Mukalla was once a stronghold of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, before Yemeni forces backed by the UAE, with US intelligence and logistical support, drove the extremist group out in a co-ordinated operation, depriving the group of its most valuable base.