The United Arab Emirates today said it was reducing the number of troops in war-torn Yemen and moving from a military-first strategy to a peace-first plan.

A senior UAE official told reporters that they have troop levels that are down for reasons that are strategic in the Red Sea city of Hodeida and reasons that are tactical in other parts of the country.

A Yemeni Government official said, UAE troops fighting as part of a Saudi-led military coalition against the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels, have totally vacated the military base in Khokha, about 130 Kilometres south of Hodeida.

He added that the UAE withdrew part of its heavy artillery from Khokha. He said, UAE troops vacated a military post in Sarwah, west of Marib province, and pulled back the Patriot missile system from the area.