New battalions formed to expel Islah factions from Taiz  

TAIZI, Oct. 011 (YAP) – Reports of pro-UAE have revealed military preparations heading to seize control of the city of Taiz, which is under the control of Islah Party’s factions.

Sources familiar with matter explained that battalions from the so-called “Third Commando Brigade”, formed by the UAE from Salafist groups and led by Mohammed Abdul-Jabbar, nicknamed Abu al-Walid al-Amiri, who previously served as deputy to Salafist leader Abu al-Abbas, were getting prepared to head toward Taiz.

The sources reported that these factions would be called “Joint Battalions,” composed of Salafist elements from the Saudi-funded Dere al-Waten or (Homeland Shield) and the UAE-backed al-Amaliqa forces or (Giants), separate from the so-called Tariq Afash factions, so as not to provoke the sensitivities of the people of Taiz.

The sources pointed out that the battalions led by Abu al-Walid al-Ameri would be primarily subordinate to Tariq Afash, indicating that the return of the leader Abu al-Walid to Taiz would be separate from what was known as the Abu al-Abbas Battalions, which withdrew from Taiz at the end of August 2018 to the West Coast.

This comes after Islah Party rejected the control of Tariq Afash’s factions over the city of Taiz, under the pretext of maintaining security and stability and ending the state of chaos, amid accusations by Islah loyalists that Afash may fuel chaos in the city through assassinations and the spread of gangs, according to Islah loyalists.

This came after the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council hinted in a television interview mid-last week that Taiz and Marib were demanding to join what he called “Southern Arabia,” a reference to the coalition’s intention to end Islah forces’ control over those areas without involving Tariq Afash’s forces in that confrontation.

AA