Saudi forces close road linking Mukalla city with Ghail Bawazir after strike on Al-Rayyan airport

HADRAMOUT, Oct. 21 (YPA) – Saudi forces closed the road linking the city of Mukalla with Ghail Bawazir district of Hadramout province on Wednesday, following a strike by Sanaa forces on weapons and military equipment depots at Al-Rayyan Airport, which has been closed to civilian flights since 2016.

Local source familiar with the matter said that Saudi-backed emergency forces had closed the Mukalla road at the entrance to Ghail Bawazir, near the Al-Rayyan Airport roundabout, as well as in the areas of Al-Naqaa and Al-Sulb.

The closures followed the arrival of dozens of residents at the airport gate in an attempt to loot weapons and ammunition, similar to an incident that occurred last January.

The source affirmed that residents had attempted to storm the airport following the strike on the weapons and military equipment depots. However, Saudi-backed forces dispersed them and used force to prevent them from gathering at the site, closing all roads surrounding the airport.

The strike on Al-Rayyan military base was followed by intensive flights by unidentified unmanned aircraft over the area.

The incident came after Sanaa forces targeted weapons and military equipment that had arrived at Al-Rayyan Airport aboard Saudi and foreign military cargo aircraft, following a precise surveillance and tracking operation.

It is worth noting that Al-Rayyan Civil Airport was converted into a joint US-Emirati military base on the Arabian Sea in 2016. Emirati forces left the airport early this year after Saudi warplanes targeted an Emirati vessel carrying military vehicles at the port of Mukalla, and Saudi forces subsequently took their place.

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