Shabwa (south24)

On Wednesday, two soldiers and a tribal citizen were killed in violent clashes between tribal militants and military forces loyal to the Islamic Islah Party in Shabwa governorate, South Yemen.

Local media said that clashes broke out between armed men from Balharith tribes and government military forces of the Islamic Islah Party, in the "Asilan" district, after killing of a member of the tribe.

The Southern Transitional Council in Shabwa governorate said that government forces brutally killed a young man, while the people were "organizing a protest event in front of the Jannat Hunt Oil Company to demand their salaries."

The young man who was killed is "Mesfer Hassan Al-Jaouni Al-Harithi," said the STC.

"The local tribes attacked the military forces' positions, killing two soldiers and wounding others," said the local Media. 

The tribes captured a number of soldiers and took control of a military vehicle and weapons, after the pro-Islamists forces fled from an Oil area.

Tribal gunmen  from "Belharith" in Shabwa, April 28, 2021 (Activists)

Similar clashes have already occurred in Shabwa between tribes and government forces loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood, against the background of violations, killings and arrests, which these forces were accused of carrying out against opponents in the governorate.

In early April, Al Qaeda (AQAP) claimed responsibility for an attack on Emirati forces in the Balhaf facility on the Arabian Sea.

The pro-Islamist government forces took control of Shabwa in August 2019, after expelling the Shabwani Elite Forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which played a prominent role in securing the province and combating members of terrorist groups.

- Image: Tribal gunmen on a military vehicle in the "Asilan" district of Shabwa, after the expulsion of government forces from an oil area (local media)