Armed elements control Special Forces camp in Lahj

LAHJ, June 24 (YPA) – Elements loyal to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) imposed their control on the Special Forces camp, on Tuesday, after limited armed clashes in Lahj governorate, southern Yemen.

A well-informed local source reported that Salafist leader Nasser al-Shawhati, who was appointed by the coalition as security director for Lahj, stormed the Special Forces camp at the head of armed groups and arrested a number of officers and recruits loyal to the camp commander, Mohammed al-Gharabi, who refused the decision to dismiss him from his position last month.

The source explained that the storming of the camp came after al-Gharabi and his supporters refused the dismissal, which prompted al-Shawhati to carry out a surprise military campaign to end what he called a “rebellion” to seize control of the camp.

The source indicated that the leader al-Gharabi managed to flee to an unknown destination after a limited confrontation by his loyalists, noting that al-Gharabi had left the camp yesterday evening, hours before the campaign was carried out.

The source attributed Al-Gharabi’s refusal to dismiss him to the conflict of influence and loyalties between the security leaders loyal to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Aden and the rest of the southern governorates.

The source did not mention any information about the human and material losses resulting from the storming and control of the camp by Al-Shahwati’s elements.