Shabwa (South24) 

A loud explosion rocked Ataq Airport in Shabwa governorate, South Yemen, yesterday evening without causing casualties hours after the airport operations were taken over by the "Giant Forces" close to the STC.

An official in the Giants Forces accused the Houthis of bombing the airport with a ballistic missile. The bombing did not cause any losses, he added.

Last Monday, military forces affiliated with the "Giant Forces" arrived in Shabwa governorate.

The Giants Forces media center said that the arrival of its forces aims to "liberate the districts of Shabwa, which fell into the Houthis hands."

The Ministry of Transport of the internationally recognized government condemned the bombing of Ataq Airport with a ballistic missile, describing it as "criminal". It furthermore accused the Houthis of being behind the attack.

The ministry said in a statement, Tuesday evening, that the bombing caused severe damage to the airport. It called "the United Nations, the UN Security Council and all humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene and put actual and direct pressure to stop these criminal acts carried out by the Houthi militia."

An hour after the attack, the Saudi state television said that Coalition planes bombed a missile launcher site in "Aqabat Markha" in Markha district in Shabwa governorate, close to the border with the Al-Bayda governorate in North Yemen, which is controlled by the Houthis.

It should be noted that these rapid developments in Shabwa came two days after the dismissal of the former pro-Islah governor of Shabwa, Mohammad bin Adyo, and the appointment of a new governor in agreement with the STC. 

South24 Center for News and Studies 

Photo: Ataq International Airport (Local media)