Suicide bombing hits several Yemeni troops

The attack in Aden took place at an army mess hall and has claimed civilian lives

Yemenis inspect the site of an explosion from a suicide bombing that hit UAE-trained Yemeni troops in Aden. Saleh Al Obeidi / AFP Photo

A suicide bombing hit Yemeni troops trained by the UAE in the government bastion of Aden on Tuesday, a security source said, killing 10 and injuring 30 in an ISIL-claimed attack.

The bombing in the north of the port city hit an army mess hall serving the so-called Security Belt brigade supported by the UAE.

"[The] ISIL suicide bomber blew up his explosive car on Tuesday in a supply headquarter affiliated with the security belt forces in Abdulaziz Street in Al Mansoura in Aden," a security source in Aden police told The National.

ISIL used their news agency, Amaq, to take responsibility for the attack, saying that a suicide car bomb driven by Hamza Al  Muhajir had struck its target.

This comes as the Security Belt forces led an intensive military operation last week to drive Al Qaeda and ISIL out of their last stronghold in Al Mahfed in Abyan province east of Aden, the interim capital.

"More than 10 were killed, the majority of them are civilians and more than 30 were injured in the ISIL attack " the security source said.

The bomb went off at the gate of a supply headquarter, causing substantial damage to dozens of vehicles and nearby buildings.

A young boy walking on the street at the time of the blast was also killed, witnesses said.

They said the blast was caused by a car laden with explosives, apparently driven by a suicide bomber.

Several cars parked nearby were severely damaged.

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Aden is controlled by the Yemeni government, who are battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa and much of the north.

Al Qaeda and ISIL have claimed attacks in the city in recent years.

On February 24, twin suicide bombings claimed by ISIL hit a base of an Aden counter-terrorism unit, killing five people, including a child.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis discussed with Sultan Qaboos of Oman on a visit  the war in Yemen, where an Arab coalition is fighting against Iran-backed Houthi rebels on behalf of the internationally recognised government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi.

In March 2015, the member states of the GCC – with the exception of Oman – issued a joint statement saying they would intervene in the Yemen war at the request of Mr Hadi's government.

The government established its headquarters in Aden, Yemen's second city, after the rebels forced it out of the capital.

In January, Aden was rocked by deadly clashes that saw southern separatists seize much of the city from other pro-government forces.

Aden has been the seat of the government of President Hadi since 2014, when Houthi fighters seized the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition backing Mr Hadi has been at war with the Houthis since March 2015.