UAE orders Italy to withdraw forces from base in arms sale row
The Emirates is kicking Italy's forces out of Al Minhad airbase
The United Arab Emirates has given Italy until Friday to pull its forces from a military base in the Gulf country in apparent retaliation for Rome’s blocking of arms sales to Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
The pullout was already underway late last week when Defense News broke the story, citing Matteo Perego Di Cremnago, a member of the Italian parliament’s defense committee. Reuters confirmed Friday’s deadline for the withdrawal.
Italy has used Al Minhad airbase in Dubai as a stopover in support of multinational operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Indian Ocean and Horn of Africa. The withdrawal from Al Minhad is likely to force the Italian government to find other ways to withdraw its remaining forces in Afghanistan as NATO and the United States leave the country this summer.
Italy’s government summoned the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador in Rome, Omar al-Shamsi, earlier this month after the UAE reportedly refused to allow an Italian air force plane to enter Emirati airspace upon return from Afghanistan.
