UAE reinforces STC militias in Abyan with tanks, rocket launchers

ABYAN, Sept. 17 (YPA) – Southern Transitional Council militias, which funded by the United Arab Emirates on Monday have pushed large military reinforcements into the coastal city of Shaqra in the occupied Province of Abyan, southern Yemen, a military source reported.

According to the military source, The STC’s militias reinforced its elements in Abyan with a number of tanks, rocket launchers and infantry soldiers, as part of military preparations for new confrontations with the exiled Hadi’s forces backed by Saudi Arabia.

The source confirmed that the transitional militias promised to knock down the exiled Hadi’s forces camps in Abyan province in the coming hours.

According to the military source, STC militias are awaiting the orders of their political leadership to begin the new battle, which will start from Abyan province to Shabwah and then to Hadhramaut province.

As a part of the conflict, at least eight of the so-called southern transitional council militias which funded by the United Arab Emirates, were killed and wounded in two separate attacks carried out by Hadi’s forces in Abyan province, north of Aden, local sources reported on Monday

The source said that Saudi-backed forces on Sunday night launched an attack against security post belonging to STC’s militias in the District of Lauder, killing one and injuring seven others, including serious injuries.

Abyan province has been witnessing a military buildup by the exiled Hadi’s forces in preparation for waging attack on the UAE-backed militias in the provincial capital of Zinjibar, as the UAE military mobilized its militias to take control of the coastal city of Shaqra.

E.M