Vehicle overturn in Yemen claims life of Emirati soldier

‘My son is a sacrifice for the love of this great country,’ says the martyr’s father. Mohideen / Al Ittihad

ABU DHABI // An Emirati soldier was killed in Yemen when the military vehicle he was travelling in overturned.

The Armed Forces announced the martyrdom of Mohammed Rashid Ali Al Dhanhani on Saturday.

The 24-year-old died while participating in the Saudi-led Arab coalition’s Operation Restoring Hope.

“The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces extended its sincere condolences to the martyr’s family and prayed to Allah Almighty to bless his soul with mercy in Paradise and to bestow patience and solace upon his family,” Wam reported.

Al Dhanhani’s father and his family gathered at their home in Fujairah, where mourners began to pay their respects while arrangements were being made for the funeral.

“My son is a sacrifice for the love of this great country and that’s the greatest gift you can give,” the father told mourners.

The martyr’s brother, Hamdan, was distraught to hear the news of his brother’s death but said he received the news with great pride in their hometown of Qidfa.

“We heard the news earlier this morning and are making arrangements for the funeral, but we are touched by the outpouring of love and support we are receiving from the community and the Armed Forces,” he said.

Al Dhanhani’s uncle voiced similar sentiments of pride in his nephew’s sacrifice.

“We are proud of him and his sacrifice. It’s a badge of honour that we carry on our chests,” said Mohammed Rashid Al Dhanhani.

“He was extremely patriotic and loving of his country and its leaders.”

Al Dhanhani’s body was flown home on Saturday and was welcomed at the Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi with a special ceremony that senior military officers attended.

Last week, the body of Emirati officer Obaid Salem Saeed Al Badwawi was returned to Ajman after he was killed in a roadside crash in Saudi Arabia.

More than 70 UAE service personnel have been killed since the launch of Operation Restoring Hope last year. Most died in last September in a rocket attack in the Yemeni city of Marib.

This story has been updated to reflect a change in the spelling of the soldier’s name.