Gunmen cut off main streets in Taiz

TAIZ, Dec. 17 (YPA) – Gunmen on Thursday cut off main streets in the city of Taiz, southwestern Yemen, local sources said.

According to the sources, the armed men created chaos by firing indiscriminately in a move that signals that the city, which is under the control of the Islah factions in Yemen, is sliding into a new wave of violence.

Local sources said that soldiers dressed in civilian clothes and military personnel set tires on fire in Jamal Street in the city center, causing traffic jams in the morning.

The motives for spreading the new chaos are not known, but its timing indicates that it is linked to the news that the coalition pressured Hadi to dismiss the commander of the 22nd Brigade Mika and the founder of the Popular Mobilization forces, Sadiq Sarhan.

The move came after the so-called Sadiq Sarhan appeared in the program of the investigation aired by the Qatar-owned al-Jazeera channel two days ago that highlights the UAE’s moves in the west coast of Yemen.

Sarhan is Ali Mohsen’s right-hand man in Taiz and is hiding behind a large gang system led by his son Bakr and Ghazwan al-Makhlafi are covered up by the 22nd Brigade. Sarhan was forced to leave the city two years ago but was able to return.

E.M