An explosive device detonated in southern Yemen, killing six troops loyal to a United Arab Emirates-backed secessionist group. The attack, blamed on al-Qaida militants, occurred in the Modiyah district of southern Abyan province. The Southern Armed Forces, the military arm of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council, were targeted in the explosion, which also wounded eleven other troops. The UAE-backed council controls much of Yemen’s south and is at odds with the internationally recognized government, despite being allies in the ongoing war against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the north.
The military spokesman, Mohamed al-Naqib, accused the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) for the attack. AQAP, considered as one of the more dangerous branches of the terror group, has been operating in Yemen for more than a decade, exploiting the chaos of the country’s civil war to strengthen its presence in the nation at the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. The ongoing conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis captured the capital of Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile.
The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council and the internationally recognized government are allies in the fight against the Houthi rebels, who control the north and the capital of Sanaa. Despite this, the secessionist group and the government are at odds, with the council holding control over much of southern Yemen. The conflict in Yemen has resulted in extensive devastation and humanitarian crisis, with many civilians caught in the crossfire between various warring factions.
The incident in southern Yemen is the latest in a series of violent attacks that have plagued the country, with various militant groups taking advantage of the chaos to carry out their operations. The ongoing civil war has created a breeding ground for extremist groups like AQAP, who have exploited the power vacuum to establish a stronghold in the region. The conflict has also contributed to the displacement of millions of Yemenis and a severe shortage of basic necessities such as food, water, and medical supplies.
The international community has made numerous attempts to broker peace and end the conflict in Yemen, but efforts have been largely unsuccessful due to the complex nature of the conflict and the competing interests of various regional actors. The situation in Yemen remains dire, with millions of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The attack on the UAE-backed secessionist group is a stark reminder of the violence and instability that continue to grip the country, with innocent civilians often paying the highest price for the ongoing conflict.
