UAE-backed militias besiege port city of Shoqra in Abyan

HADRAMOUT, Sept. 7 (YPA) – The UAE-backed militias and armed groups loyal to Saudi Arabia on Saturday continued, for the second day in a row, to mobilize their elements and military vehicles to the port city of Shoqra in the occupied province of Abyan.

According to southern sources, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council reinforced its militias with a number of gunmen and armored vehicles in Shoqra city, which is controlled by the Saudi-backed militants of Islah Party.

Commander of the so-called security belt force loyal to the UAE in Abyan Abdullatif al-Sayyed threatened to storm the city of Shoqra and expel who he called “terrorist groups” of Islah party, lauding the UAE’s cooperation and its military support for the transitional council forces.

The southern transitional council forces have been imposing a blockade from three directions on the port city of Shoqra since Friday.

Witnesses said that a large military convoy, including tanks, armored vehicles and military cars reinforced with modern weapons and carrying Saudi flags, arrived on Friday evening in the city of Shoqra in Abyan province.

In light of this mobilization and military reinforcements in the city, observers expect violent confrontations to erupt between the two parties in the coming hours.

YPA