Shabwa witnesses military tension between pro-UAE armed factions

SHABWA, May 14 (YPA) – Shabwa province, eastern Yemen, on Saturday witnessed a mutual military build-up between the armed factions loyal to the UAE.

This coincided with the escalation of tensions between the Southern Transitional Council (STC) militia on the one hand and the militants of Tariq Saleh and Shabwa governor militias on the other, in light of the efforts of each faction to control the oil sources in the province.

According to media sources, the STC militia has sent new military reinforcements to the outskirts of Ataq city, the capital of Shabwa, coming from Abyan province.

For their part, the so-called “Al-Amaliqa Brigades” and the militants of the so-called “Shabwa Defense Force” have reinforced their presence in the areas near the oil fields with dozens of military personnel.

Tribal sources said that hundreds of “Al-Amaliqa” members affiliated with the so-called joint forces led by Tariq Saleh arrived during the past hours to Markha district and the outskirts of Usailan district, where the oil wells are located.

The STC had earlier warned the governor of Shabwa, Awad al-Awlaqi, who is also loyal to the UAE, against facilitating the control of Tariq’s forces over the oil sources in the province, threatening to prevent them by force.

YPA