United Arab Emirates forces have occupied sea and airports on Yemen's remote island of Socotra, a day after deploying four military craft and more than 100 troops there, according to a Yemeni government official. Residents told Al Jazeera that the four Emirati aircraft arrived illegally on the island on Wednesday in an attempt to intimidate officials from the internationally recognised government who were making a rare visit to the archipelago. Condemning the move as an "act of aggression", the official said UAE soldiers also blocked Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr, Yemen's prime minister, and 10 ministers from leaving Socotra on Friday. Some locals see it as a power grab at the expense of their internationally recognised government led by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. pic.twitter.com/VqUzzW6pcL — Dr Mohammed Jumeh (@MJumeh) May 2, 2018

Located due east of the Horn of Africa in the Arabian Sea, the island of 60,000 people, which is known for its unique flora and fauna, has been administered by Yemen for much of the last two centuries. But since the UAE entered Yemen's war in March 2015 as part of a Saudi-led coalition seeking to remove Houthi rebels, Abu Dhabi has exploited the security vacuum and tried to gain a foothold in the strategically placed island. The UAE has confirmed carrying out military operations on Socotra, with local media reporting that the UAE had leased Socotra and the nearby Abd al-Kuri island for 99 years. Residents of the island said the flag of the UAE and images of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan now adorn official buildings.
The United Arab Emirates deploys troops on the Yemeni island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea, taking over key installations such as Socotra Airport from Yemeni soldiers. Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr denounces the Emirati ground incursion and hundreds protest demanding their immediate withdrawal. Local media reports the UAE claims to have "leased" the island.