The governor of Shabwah, Awadh al-Wazir al-Awlaki, who was appointed by the Saudi-backed exiled Haid government, had arrived on Wednesday at Ataq Airport in the province.
Local sources affirmed that the Saudi-led coalition transferred the governor on a Saudi military plane to the Airport, after UAE-backed Al-Amaliqa Brigade militias took control of the city during the past two days.
The sources indicated that the Emirati Joint Operations commander, Saleh bin Mujran al-Amiri, arrived on Tuesday in Ataq in order to appoint Al-Awlaki as the new governor of Shabwah, after his forces took control of the military and security sites.
During the past two days, the UAE sent military experts, including Israelis, from Abu Dhabi, to the Balhaf gas facility in order to manage the battle for Shabwah against Islah Party forces. Ataq Airport was targeted not long before al-Awlaki’s arrival by explosive shelling by as of yet unknown assailants, resulting in several deaths and injuries amongst UAE-backed forces.
