UAE ends STC’s role in Ataq, Shabwa

SHBAWA, Oct. 06 (YPA) – The UAE has ended the presence of the Southern Transitional Council (STC)’s militias and tasks assigned to them in the city of Ataq, the capital of the oil province of Shabwa, in eastern Yemen.

Informed sources confirmed that the UAE directed the “STC” to withdraw its militants from positions in Ataq and hand them officially to the so-called “Saba axis” loyal to the military commander “Tariq Afash”.

The sources explained that the forces of the “First Brigade” in the so-called” Saba axis” led by Abdulhadi Abdullatif Al-Qibli Al-Muradi, officially received tasks to secure the city of Ataq, following the return of the pro-UAE governor, Awad Al-Awlaki, on Tuesday to the city coming from Abu Dhabi.

The sources said that the forces of the First Brigade have taken over the security and military points surrounding the city, obliterated the slogans of the STC, which calls for secession, and raised the flags of the Republic of Yemen .

This comes after the governor of Islah in Marib, Sultan al-Arada, called on Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman to dismiss the pro-UAE governor in Shabwa and appoint an independent governor as a result of clashes that led to the expulsion of Islah militants from the city and some directorates.

Observers believe that the UAE has made the “STC” and the people of the southern provinces as a cheap tool to get rid of Islah militants under false slogans to restore the so-called “southern state”.

E.M