What was it like to write the first military history of the UAE at war, using the words of the soldiers, sailors and airmen themselves? This was the task I set myself in writing the forthcoming book 25 Days to Aden, which recounts the climactic struggle to liberate the Yemeni port city of Aden before the commencement of Eid Al Fitr in July 2015.
This was the first battle of the Yemen war, which started when Yemen’s government asked for international support from the UN Security Council and the Arab League. The Gulf Arabs drew a line in the sand to stop Iran-backed Houthi tribesmen from dominating the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and seizing the key shipping lanes that connect the eastern and western hemispheres via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
In the opening days of the war, the UAE stepped up to help Yemeni resistance fighters to hold the southern port-city of Aden, a strategic outpost on the Indian Ocean that had been the busiest port in the world just decades beforehand. If the Houthis could take Aden, they would not only have overrun Yemen’s second-largest city (in addition to their control of the capital Sanaa) but they would also sit astride a maritime choke point that controlled 20 per cent of global oil traffic. As one special forces soldier told me, the Yemen war was the story of Arab elite forces “fighting a ghost from the mountain, next to the world’s most important seaway”.
The military historian has a big responsibility because she or he is keeping alive the memory of those who gave their lives for their country and for their fellow warriors. At the same time, history must be as perfectly accurate as possible because it is our gift to future generations. This means not only celebrating victories and proud achievements but also confronting hard truths and sad moments, and learning lessons that can help the nation and its soldiers, sailors and airmen face new challenges.
As a result, it took more than five years to meticulously research, write and fact-check 25 Days to Aden. To really, truly understand a battle, one must speak to many participants to work out the events that never made it into the official records, and one must peruse the records to find the things that humans forget. Just as important, a historian also needs to make the closest map study of the terrain and then walk the ground. This is what I did in Aden.
To really, truly understand a battle, one must speak to many participants to work out the events that never made it into the official records
For instance, only by getting on the ground can one really appreciate the extreme topography of the oldest parts of Aden – literally a deep volcanic caldera surrounded by towering thousand-foot cliffs. And only by moving back and forth along the exposed causeway that made up the approaches to Aden’s key terrain – the international airport – can you appreciate how important the UAE’s armoured vehicles were in overcoming the Houthi firepower that defended the airport.
The liberation of Aden began with the Yemeni resistance pinned with their backs to the sea, days from defeat. I interviewed those Yemeni fighters and the UAE special forces who were covertly inserted into the defensive pocket in Aden. The story of the Aden battle is a story of this partnership between Yemenis and Emiratis, who first held the line and then reinforced the defensive area with Emirati Al Forsan rangers and Land Forces artillery, and finally launched a surprise attack on the Houthis that smashed them out of Aden and pursued them for a hundred kilometres in all directions. The UAE Navy and Air Force and Air Defence worked round the clock and under terrible conditions to keep the lines of supply open and to keep up a precise and heavy bombardment upon the enemy. It was a true team effort: the whole nation pulling towards one objective – helping the Yemenis to liberate Aden.
It is unusual for outsiders to be allowed to talk to UAE military personnel about their service but in the course of researching and writing this book, I spent hundreds of hours interviewing and living alongside UAE military personnel. In many cases, I gathered their stories while they were deployed on battlefronts in Yemen, during my visits to the frontlines, and they kindly gave their evenings and down-time to retell the story of Aden from their perspectives. Other times, I visited them with their families back in the Emirates. Reliving the conflict seemed to help them process thoughts and feelings that had been buried since 2015, and I hope they keep talking about the war with each other and their families, to the extent that security allows.
When an outsider spends so much time talking to Emiratis about a sensitive subject such as war, the experience is very instructive about the nation’s mentality towards conflict. UAE military men and women take no joy from the destructive business of war. Like all warriors, they are amazed by the precision and power of modern weapons, but I found a special level of seriousness and maturity in Emirati troops, who genuinely hated the death and misery caused by war. Yet Emirati troops were also undoubtedly good at modern warfare: trained in real conflicts alongside the best western militaries, UAE forces were also blessed with a superior understanding of the local culture in Yemen and with excellent relations with the Yemeni resistance forces.
The story of 25 Days to Aden belongs to the Emirati men and women who fought the battle alongside their Yemeni partners. The book is dedicated to the five UAE troops who were killed in the battle and it is only fitting that the last word of this article goes to one of the exceptional young people who fought in (and survived) the battle of Aden. When I interviewed him, he was looking back after a few years on his war experience as a 27-year-old UAE soldier with good training but seeing battle for the first time. He told me: “After this operation, a real war, my mentality changed completely. I was brought up in this country, with good living standards and education, and then I was suddenly in a war zone, away from my friends and family, my kids. It’s lonely and makes you appreciate life. I saw poverty and suffering in Yemen. It made me appreciate more the need to protect our home.”
“25 Days to Aden: The Untold Story of Arabian Elite Forces at War” will be published by Profile Books this month in both Arabic and English
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ENGLAND SQUAD
For first two Test in India Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson , Dom Bess, Stuart Broad , Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes. Reserves James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.
MATCH INFO
RB Leipzig 2 (Klostermann 24', Schick 68')
Hertha Berlin 2 (Grujic 9', Piatek 82' pen)
Man of the match Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin
BABYLON
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
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Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
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