'We cried but with pride'

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We cried but with pride
Bodies of martyred UAE soldiers arrives in Abu Dhabi

Dubai - The tragic event of September 4, has surely grieved the nation; but more than pain it has injected a sense of unity, pride, glory, and strengthened our resolve to defeat evil and terrorism.

By Hassan Sajwani

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Published: Wed 9 Sep 2015, 3:48 PM

Last updated: Thu 26 Nov 2015, 2:03 PM

September 4, 2015, is a date that will never be forgotten, for it was on this day that 45 Emirati soldiers were martyred while participating in Saudi-led operation Restoring Hope in Yemen.
The news of this tragedy broke on Friday evening, which not only shocked the UAE, but also many neighboring countries and the region. As the evening progressed, along with Emirati losses, Bahrain also announced five deaths in the same cowardly attack.
Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, confirmed via Twitter that casualties resulted due to a surface-to-surface missile attack and an explosion in ammunition depot in a warehouse at the military camp in Ma'reb province, Yemen.
Revenge was not far away. On the very same night, Emirati forces did not hesitate in retaliating back strongly and aggressively. Fighter jets of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence pounded specific targets and locations of Houthis precisely and effectively, inflicting great amount of damage to their sensitive installations.
All this happened on the day when the UAE and its people were busy collecting massive donations for Yemen and its people under the campaign called #Yemen_We_Care, where donations crossed Dh500 million. These funds will be used as humanitarian aids and for infrastructure development in the war-torn country.
Our nation had never mourned as much before, except on the death of the founder of the UAE, our father, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may Allah have mercy on his soul).
Condolences started pouring in on social media and other channels, and a blanket of thick black mourning quickly covered the entire UAE, but along with it also came a sense of pride and honour within each citizen. "We cried, but with pride" were the words of an Emirati whom I spoke to after a funeral of a martyr in Sharjah. Families and loved ones of martyrs forgot their pain and grief for a while when they found Rulers of the emirates standing at their doorsteps offering condolences, kissing their foreheads, and ordering every possible assistance for them.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, along with Rulers of other emirates and Crown Princes went door to door and emirate to emirate offering condolences and spreading love to every fallen hero's family.
This tragic event surely brought grief, pain and sorrow to the nation, but it also injected an infinite amount of unity, pride, glory and sense of consistency in achieving our noble goal of defeating evil and terror. Today, Emiratis have proudly redefined meanings of sacrifice, martyrdom and suffering in line of duty and for love of the nation.
Hassan Sajwani is an emirati writer, you may follow him on Twitter @HSajwanization or contact him on email: sajwani.hasan@gmail.com


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