Sana’a, Dec 13, (dpa/GNA) – At least 32 government soldiers were killed in a recent attack by a separatist group in eastern Yemen, the army said on Saturday.
Fighting erupted last week between forces loyal to the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, and the Saudi-backed government, igniting fears of further divisions in the impoverished country.
The STC said its forces had captured vast chunks of the Hadramaut and al-Mahra provinces that together make up about half of Yemen, prompting local and international calls for calm.
The army of the internationally recognized government said on Saturday that 45 other soldiers were also injured, and an unspecified number of military personnel were still missing after the attack in the eastern province of Hadramaut.
No specific date for the attack was given, but it is believed to have been carried out earlier this month.
The army said the attack had “no legal or legitimate justifications” and aimed to destabilize the oil-rich province.
The STC and the government have been allies for years in the fight against the Houthi rebels. However, the STC has repeatedly defied its partner to control larger areas and rally people to demand secession of the southern region of the country.
Yemen was divided between 1967 until its unification in 1990.
The country has been embroiled in a devastating power struggle since 2014, between government forces, supported by a Saudi-led alliance, and the Iran-linked Houthi rebels.
The Houthis control large swathes of territory in the north, including the capital Sana’a.
GNA
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