Two Southern Movement supporters were killed in a shootout with the security forces in the southwestern Yemeni province of al-Dale.
Two gunmen belonging to the Southern Movement, which calls for outright independence from the north, have been killed in al-Dale central city, a local security source told Yemen Post on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press.
"The incident occurred when a police campaign raided a hideout of the separatists accused of killing some army personnel. The separatists refused to give themselves in, triggering an exchange of fire," the source said.
"The exchange of fire left two of them killed, but the others managed to escape," added the source.
Al-Dala is a stronghold of the Southern Movement, which increased its armed activities in the south despite claims of adhering to the peaceful struggle in calling for independence.
Yemen was two separate states before 1990, when the two leaders of the two states at that time culminated long time efforts and integrated the two states into one.
In 1994, unification partner called for secession, sparking a civil war that left thousands killed and others wounded. North Yemen won the civil war and unification is still intact.
Many analysts think that the southern issue is the biggest challenge in Yemen currently, and that the unification has never been more challenged than now.
The leaders of the Southern Movement are divided on every thing that they can not agree on any thing.
While some leaders call for outright independence of the south, others demand more autonomy, and some others call for federalism.
The southern people complain that they have been marginalized by the north- led government since unification and that their natural resources were looted.