A large number of people gathered at the Alia Lootah mosque in Al Warqa 4 to express their condolences to the family of Saif Yousuf Ahmad Al Falasi, the Emirati officer who was martyred in Yemen.
Among those who attended the funeral was Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth, and Community Development.
Brave, heroic, righteous, disciplined, upright... these are some of the words used to describe the Emirati officer.
The 35-year-old was father of two boys and three girls. He served two decades in the UAE army.
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Al Falasi’s body was brought to the mosque wrapped in the UAE flag, a symbol of his martyrdom, before being taken for burial in Al Qusais.
Al Falasi’s brother led the funeral prayers. He broke down saying: “You have left us Yousuf.”
Many of Al Falasi’s fellow army men attended the funeral prayers. One of them said Al Falasi “was the best among us. He had an unparalleled sense of nationalism.”
“This was the death he always wanted, one in the name of his country. He died a martyr,” he said.
Another army colleague of Al Falasi, Ahmad (not his real name) said he was always popular in the group.
“Nothing bad can be said about Saif,” he said, “we knew him as well as his family. In many ways we were his extended family. We would spend all day together. He was a very conscientious and ethical individual. News of his death came as a shock, his family is still having trouble believing that he is gone.”

Source: Gulfnews