Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi-led Coalition forces transported 18 Yemenis, most of them were patients, who received medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, back to the Socotra island of Yemen.

They traveled on board a plane of the Saudi Royal Forces that took off on Wednesday morning from Jazan to the Yemeni governorate of Socotra, which is located near major shipping routes.

The Yemeni patients, mostly children, were treated in Saudi hospitals in Riyadh and Jazan, according to a report carried by Al-Arabiya.

All of these travelers were evacuated by the Coalition forces from Socotra to Saudi Arabia earlier as part of humanitarian missions being undertaken to support the people of Yemen. The humanitarian initiative comes within the efforts of the Coalition forces to alleviate the suffering of the people of Socotra, by operating free flights to Socotra as it lacks safe marine transportation means.

During the past days, the Coalition forces operated special flights to transport stranded people to and from the Socotra archipelago governorate due to the suspension of air navigation in light of the coronavirus crisis.

Wednesday’s trip was the sixth the Coalition forces operated in support of the Yemeni people. It was preceded by another flight carrying 45 Socotra residents from Al-Ghaydah, the capital of Al-Mahra governorate, to their governorate. On Aug. 6, the Coalition forces transferred 162 boys and girls, who are studying in Yemeni universities, from Socotra governorate to the temporary capital of Aden.

On July 22, the joint forces carried out the transportation of 139 passengers from Socotra, who were stranded in the governorate of Mahra, onboard the Yemenia Airways plane. Prior to that, two flights were operated, including a military plane belonging to the Saudi Royal Air Force, and the other Yemenia plane, at the expense of the Coalition forces.

This humanitarian gesture comes from Saudi Arabia and the leadership of the Coalition forces as part of the humanitarian efforts provided to the Yemeni brothers in the governorates of Al-Mahra and Socotra and various other regions.