A senior Defense Ministry official told Yemen Post that only half of the military personnel were left the city on Zinjibar on Thursday after orders were given to them to head to the provinces of Aden, Thale, and Lahj to help ensure security was stable in those regions. "The government troops did not withdraw from the city of Zinjibar, Abyan, but some of the troops were redirected to secure other regions of Abyan," said the official.

Security sources in Abyan said the security forces were given orders to leave the city.

Security soldiers placed in Abyan told Yemen Post that such tactics by the government are forcing thousands of republican guards and soldiers to join the Yemeni revolution because they are not with the people killing one another.