Clashes break out between Islah militants, UAE-backed militias in Taiz

TAIZ, July 5 (YPA) – The Islah Party (Yemeni branch of Muslim Brotherhood) has sent more military reinforcements to the al- Shamayatayn district

, south of Taiz city, after mediation efforts by elders from the directorate failed to stop the clashes between the al-Islah militants militias belonging to the Emirates represented by the “35th Brigade forces”, local sources said.

According to the sources, the al-Islah militants carried out an attempt on Saturday to take control of positions belonging to UAE-backed militias in the Sabrain area of al- Shamayatayn district.

The sources added that the infiltration attempt failed, killing two of the al-Islah militants, in addition to injuring six others.

The 35th Armoured Brigade forces were deployed in the al-Samsarah area, following clashes with al-Islah militias that have been deployed in the area over the past few days.

Yesterday, a soldier of the “35th Brigade” was killed and others were injured, following clashes with al-Islah militias in the vicinity of the city of Al-Turbah, the center of the Provincial directorate al- Shamayatayn .

According to the sources, al-Islah militias took control of a number of government buildings in the al-Turbah, including the electricity building and the Taiz University branch, and set up checkpoints, coinciding with the arrival of armed groups from the camp of the 4th Brigade to support them.

In addition, human rights sources in Taiz accused the  al-Islah militants forcibly displacing citizens and their families, and forcing them to leave the al-Turbah district under the pretext of belonging to Tariq Afash’s militants.

E.M