Al-Sayed leads military insurgency in Abyan

ABYAN, Jan. 27 (YPA) – A Hardline Salafist leader in the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), Abdullatif Al-Sayed on Wednesday expressed his rejection of the recent decisions taken by the head of council, Edros al Zubeidi about changing the province’s military leadership.

In a new press statement to local media, al-Sayed reiterated his rejection of the recent decision by Edros al Zubeidi, which reinforces regional conflicts within the Council at a time when the STC in being under unprecedented pressure.

Al-Sayed stressed that his forces are ready to counter any escalation of the council’s leadership.

It is a message he wanted to convey to the “STC” leaders who are trying to transfer the “Fifth Brigade” from Radfan in Lahj province to Abyan governorate in southern Yemen.

He also rejected any military reinforcements on the grounds under pretext of that they are not needed.

Al-Sayed constituted a barrier to regional movements of the “STC” through which military changes are aimed at the map of armed factions deployed in Abyan province.

Earlier this month, al-Sayed’s forces in the city of Ja’ar and the border of Aden province fought a conflict with the “STC” factions belonging to the Yafea region, which were trying to control his military posts in the Dawvas area.

The STC had failed several times to oust a former of al-Qaeda leader, who is loyal to Saudi Arabia, who maintains a mixed military bloc of al-Qaeda, Salafist elements and tribal fighters in Abyan.

In August last year, al-Sayed was accused of making a deal with Hadi government that allowed Hadi’s forces to reach the Al-Alam in Aden, prompting the UAE to move warplanes to bomb them in an incident that sparked a crisis with Saudi Arabia.

E.M