Hundreds of tourists stranded on Socotra amid Gulf rift.

Global News reports that roughly 600 tourists are unable to leave Socotra after United Arab Emirates troops withdrew and air traffic at the island's main airport halted. Yemeni Airlines announced a flight to Jeddah scheduled for Jan. 7.

Hundreds of tourists are stranded on the island of Socotra after United Arab Emirates troops withdrew from the area. Socotra is politically part of Yemen and lies in the Indian Ocean south of the Arabian Peninsula. Emirati forces had been present on the island since 2018 amid Yemen's civil war. The withdrawal coincided with a halt to air traffic at the island's main airport. Key facts: - Global News reports the UAE withdrew after a deadline set by Saudi Arabia passed. - Air traffic at Socotra's main airport stopped and roughly 600 tourists cannot currently fly off the island. - Yemeni Airlines announced it would operate a flight to Jeddah on Jan. 7. - Global News has reached out to Global Affairs Canada to verify whether any of the stranded tourists are Canadian. Summary: The withdrawal of UAE forces disrupted airport operations and left about 600 foreign tourists unable to leave Socotra. Yemeni Airlines has announced a flight to Jeddah on Jan. 7 as a potential route off the island. It is not yet confirmed how many nationals from specific countries, including Canada, are among those stranded; inquiries to Canadian officials are ongoing.