Heavy Infighting Erupts among Saudi-Backed Forces in Aden over ousted Hadi’s Return

“After Hadi’s visit to Aden province and his residence at the Saudi consulate in Aden, heavy clashes erupted between the Saudi and UAE military men and the (Saudi-backed al-Qaeda and ISIL) militias in the province,” a member of Aden’s al-Tahrir Front, Hosham Abdolnour, told FNA on Tuesday.

Noting that tens of Saudi and UAE forces were killed and wounded in the conflicts, he said, “The situation in Aden is very critical and the latest reports say Hadi will leave Aden for Saudi Arabia in coming hours.”

Earlier this month, sources in Yemen disclosed that Riyadh has transferred control over Yemen’s strategic Southern port city of Aden to its sponsored Takfiri terrorist groups, mainly ISIL.

Sources in Southern Yemen’s Protest Campaign revealed deployment of armed Takfiris in different parts of Aden and their Saudi-backed move to control the military and security headquarters.

A number of Southern Yemen’s Protest Campaign leaders told Al-Mayadeen news channel that Saudi Arabia supports the ISIL-affiliated terrorists in Aden financially and logistically to deploy their forces in different parts of the city based on an agreement made after secret meetings between commanders of the Saudi-led coalition and Takfiri leaders earlier this month.

Based on the report, the situation in the Southern province of Ta’iz is not much different from Aden and Saudi Arabia is supporting the Takfiris in that region too to persuade them to fight alongside the forces loyal to Mansour Hadi, the fugitive Yemeni president.

Earlier reports in September also said that Saudi Arabia had promised to pay $1mln to its mercenaries in Yemen if they conquer the entire province of Aden.

“The militias of (fugitive president) Mansour Hadi who are supported by the al-Saud have forced the residents of Aden to leave the city through their terrorist attacks,” the preacher of Aden’s main mosque told FNA.

The preacher added that the attacks are the result of Riyadh’s promise that “if its mercenaries in Aden win full control over the province, they will be paid a one-million-dollar reward”.