STC-affiliated gunmen storm Dhalea Governorate HQ amid Saudi-Emirati escalation

DHALEA, April 19 (YPA) – Gunmen belonging to the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) stormed the headquarters of Dhalea Governorate in central Yemen on Sunday morning.

Observers described the move as an unprecedented escalation within the ongoing conflict between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in the southern and eastern regions.

Local sources reported that armed groups arrived in military vehicles, forcing employees out of the building under threat of arms and random gunfire. This forced the recently Saudi-appointed governor, Ahmed al-Qubba, along with other officials, to evacuate the premises.

Following the incident, Governor Al-Qubba issued a statement confirming he was unhurt, though he did not mention any punitive measures against the attackers.

This tension unfolds in a primary STC stronghold, amid expectations of further friction between UAE-backed forces and those loyal to Saudi Arabia.

YPA