Fierce armed clashes on Wednesday renewed between Hadi’s forces and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) militias in the southern governorate of Abyan, local sources reported.
The two sides fiercely exchanged artillery shelling, field sources said, amid sporadic fighting at which heavy, medium and light arms were used in Toryah front east Zinjabar city, Abyan’s provincial capital.
The infighting left a number of deaths and injuries from both sides, the sources added without further details.
Hadi forces and Islah militants tended to put pressure on the STC by opening a new front in Tor al-Bahah area in Lahj province, 80 kilometers north of Aden province.
Islah party seeks to besiege Aden from the northwest through Lahj front, while it is pushing military reinforcements to the coastal Shoqra front in Abyan, east of Aden.
Since mid-May, Abyan has seen military clashes between the two sides, although Saudi Arabia last August announced a mechanism to accelerate the Riyadh Agreement.
Under the deal, a new 24-portfolio government would be formed, with southern provinces given 12 seats 4 of which assigned to the STC.
