(MENAFN) UAE is boosting its troop presence on Yemen's remote island of Socotra in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, a move they say is triggering local resentment, ABC News quoted Yemeni security officials as saying.

The officials say Emirati cargo flights have unloaded tanks, armored transports and heavy equipment on Socotra in what some locals have seen as an affront to Yemen's internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

Saudi Arabia formed a coalition, which also includes the UAE, to battle against Houthi rebels, launching a military campaign to push back the rebels and restore Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi, who is an ally for Saudi Arabia.

The campaign has been heavily criticized by rights groups and the international community for its mounting civilian casualties.

In October, the UN placed the Saudi alliance on a "blacklist" for killing and maiming children.
Along with its air campaign, the Saudi-led coalition has imposed periodic blockades on Yemen's ports, while the Emiratis have been expanding their influence in southern Yemen.

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