Rival military tensions escalate in Yemen’s south   

ADEN, Jan. 27 (YPA) – Head of the transitional council in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden, Eidros al-Zubaidi, on Thursday evening ordered his loyal militias to blow up the situation in the UAE-occupied city, according to officials familiar with the issue. 

The order came a day before the deadline set by UAE-backed al-Zubaidi, in which he vowed to overthrow the government of Saudi-backed exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is based in the Saudi capital of  Riyadh.

Zubaidi has ordered deploying military forces in the the main roads linking Aden with nearby southeastern province of Abyan. 

Zubaidi’s move was apparently came from feeling the alert of danger, especially after Saudi-backed northern militias loyal to the Republican Guards, which led by Yemeni slain ex-president Saleh’s nephew General Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, poured into Aden.

In the other side, the government of Ben Dagher ordered the deployment of the presidential protection forces around the Palace of Maashiq (the presidential palace) and in the city as dozens of snipers spread in the nearby areas in anticipation of any potential attack.

Tensions have been escalated between the local rival parties in Aden, which are vying for the control of power.

The situation is more likely to be a proxy war between regional rival Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, which both have been vying to control Yemen’s south.

Sameera Hassn/Zak