Violent clashes rock Shabwa as prisoners escape Bayhan

SHABWA, Oct. 25 (YPA)- The oil-rich Shabwa province, controlled by Emirati factions in southeastern Yemen, has been suffered from escalating security chaos since the beginning of 2016.

The security chaos is not limited to intermittent clashes; it also threatens social peace, amid escalating tribal feuds supported and funded by leaders of pro-UAE factions seeking to expand their influence.

The city of Ataq, the province’s capital, witnessed violent clashes in the Al-Sawda area on Saturday following a land dispute, amid the ongoing security chaos plaguing the province.

Local sources explained that the clashes erupted between tribal gunmen on one side and armed elements aboard military vehicles belonging to Emirati factions on the other.

The dispute over a plot of land was escalated dangerously, with heavy and medium weapons being used.

On the other hand, in a further indication of the deteriorating security situation, sources familiar with the matter reported a mass escape of a number of prisoners from the Bayhan prison, which is controlled by the Salafist “Giants” factions funded by the UAE.

Initial reports conflicted regarding the exact number of escaped prisoners and the circumstances surrounding the escape, reflecting the security chaos in the region.

This is an extension of the security and military chaos plaguing Shabwa and an exacerbation of tribal and regional conflicts in the absence of coalition-affiliated authorities. This deepens the state of instability and the continued deterioration of service and living conditions for the population.

AA