Armed Forces arrive in Saudi Arabia to evacuate remaining Malaysians in Yemen

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Armed Forces have arrived in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the evacuation of remaining Malaysians in Yemen, dismissing reports that it had joined the Saudi-led coalition to fight the rebels in the middle east country.

"As the Malaysian Chief of Defence Force, I would like to inform that the sole mission of our troops in Saudi Arabia is to facilitate the safe and smooth evacuation of the remaining Malaysian citizens in Yemen," said Gen Tan Sri Dr Zulkefli Mohd Zin in a statement, Monday.

Dr Zulkefli said two of Royal Malaysian Air Force 130 Transport Aircraft would be positioned at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) in Riyadh.

He added the FOB has been set up at the PSAB as a 'firm ground' before departing to the evacuation location.

"The focus of the The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners has now shifted from Operation Decisive Storm to Operation Renewal of Hope.

"It is our hope that the proposed cease-fire, which will begin on Tuesday, remains," he said.

Saudi Press Agency had reported that the armed forces have arrived at Saudi air bases on Sunday to join Riyadh's military coalition battling the Houthi militias in Yemen.

The report said that Malaysia became the 12th state in the coalition after Senegal announced it would send 2,100 soldiers to Saudi Arabia to join the alliance.