Al Mukalla: Hundreds of Yemeni soldiers trained by the Saudi-led coalition were deployed on Sunday night in the city of Al Mukalla, Yemen’s fifth largest, shortly after driving Al Qaida terrorists out of it, local officials and residents said.
Backed by massive air support from the coalition, thousands of troops launched on Sunday morning a major military operation to drive Al Qaida out of Al Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout province, and the neighbouring cities. Another similar operation was launched last week against Al Qaida cells in the southern province of Abyan.
In Al Mukalla, soldiers told Gulf News that they engaged in fierce clashes with Al Qaida fighters near the city’s main airports and at the eastern entrances of the city.
“We were trained by UAE officers at Al Masila military camp. I joined the camp three months ago. There are thousands of soldiers who were prepared to secure Hadramout,” a soldier manning a checkpoint in the city’s downtown area said on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
Hadramout is the largest and wealthiest province in Yemen. On Sunday afternoon, a long convoy of armoured vehicles was seen leaving the military camp and heading to the city from different sides. The fiercest battle was in Al Oun region where several government soldiers were killed before the troops eventually made their way into the city.
Dozens of Al Qaida fighters were also killed in the battle.
When the advancing troops reached the edges of the city on Sunday afternoon, Al Qaida unexpectedly retreated despite deploying armed men.
Anticipating deadly clashes between the two sides, many families fled the downtown area fearing for their safety. Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap) captured Al Mukalla last April, exploiting the government’s focus on the war against the Al Houthis. With Al Mukalla under government forces now, analysts predict a new operation in Shabwa province to drive militants out of their last stronghold, Azzan city.
