At least two civilians were killed and others injured after clashes erupted between the security forces and armed separatists in Mukalla city in south Yemen on Saturday, said locals in the Ghail Bawazeer area. “The victims were probably passersby, not rioters,” one of the locals said.
The armed separatists have been rioting in Mukalla setting shops on fire and closing other shops as well as closing roads since yesterday, they said, adding that the situation is still tense.
Their demands are unclear and the riots may come as part of the plans of some southern factions including violent ones which have been accused by the government of attempting to destabilize the country ahead of dialogue.
The armed separatists are believed to be fans of Ali Salim Al-Beidh, the former post-unity vice president who currently lives abroad and who was more recently warned by the UN security council along with others that they could face possible sanctions for their attempts to undermine the West-backed power-transfer deal.
This morning, they burned offices of the Islah party and looted their equipment, two days after the party and its pro-unity partners held a massive rally at the Aroudh square in Aden.
The forces prevented the separatists from gathering at this square on Thursday, and in response to the move, separatists gathered on streets and clashed with the forces and the pro-unity people killing several of them and injuring many others.
The Islah party is a member of the Joint Meeting Parties bloc, JMP, which remains a partner of the West-backed political settlement.
Separately, seven military officers including a Colonel were killed and three other soldiers injured after their patrol overturned in the western port city of Hodeida, Almasdar Online reported quoting a security source as saying.
The accident took place in the Ras Isa area while the personnel were back from downtown, it said.