Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced on Monday that it has launched a military operation in southern Abyan province.
It “is part of our Southern Armed Forces' continuing efforts to eradicate terrorism and enhance security and stability”, spokesman Lt Col Mohammed Al Naqeeb said in a statement.
Last week, the STC announced it had taken control of Hadhramaut and Mahra from other pro-government forces, effectively consolidating control over all southern provinces.
STC said the move came after what the group described as the failure of pro-government factions and Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) “to launch” any serious campaign to push the Houthis from their northern strongholds, including Sanaa.
Lt Col Al Naqeeb said that the latest operation targets terrorist cells in Abyan, long seen as a focus for extremist elements in the country. “This necessitates a decisive action to fully secure it, cut off supply lines to terrorist elements, and prevent their regrouping,” said the official.
He added that the operation will be “the culmination of all the significant achievements made in the war on terror during previous phases” in the south.
The STC is part of the internationally recognised government, which is a patchwork of groups held together by their opposition to the Houthis. However, the STC advances have raised concerns about friction with other groups and the possibility of secession to revive the once-independent South Yemen.
At least 32 military personnel were killed, and 45 others were wounded in attacks in Hadhramaut by groups affiliated with the STC, the state news agency Saba reported on Friday, quoting the General Staff Command.
Yemen, situated between Saudi Arabia and a shipping route on the Red Sea, was split into northern and southern states until 1990. STC describes independence as an aspiration of all southerners.
Yemen was plunged into civil war after the Iran-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen in 2014, forcing the government to move south to the port city of Aden. A coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened the following year in an attempt to reinstate the government.
