A Yemeni government source told Al Jazeera that UAE-backed militants attacked the entrance of the local authority headquarters in the southern province of Socotra, cutting off main roads and assaulting citizens.

The government source described the attack as a coup against the Riyadh agreement, which was supposed to be announced in the coming hours between the legitimate government and the Southern Transitional Council.

Anatolia news agency reported that an armed group belonging to the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council set up tents in front of the headquarters of the province of Socotra, to demand the dismissal of Governor Ramzi Mahrous, and also set up tents in front of the headquarters of the Central Bank.

According to a local source of the same agency that the forces of the legitimate government stationed in front of and around the provincial bureau in anticipation of any escalation by the elements supported by the UAE.

The source added that the governor is holding an extraordinary meeting with the security committee in the province to deal with current developments.

Military crews arrived four months ago to Socotra from the UAE prevented the governor delivered to the so-called transitional council and after mediation and in the presence of the commander of the Saudi forces in Socotra were handed over provided that they are not used in military activity and today these crews carry armed militias and deployed in the streets of Socotra
In the video, one of these kits pic.twitter.com/bukIgTjEcg

- Mukhtar Al Rahbi (@ alrahbi5) October 30, 2019

Governor's decision
The attack comes after a decision by the governor to ban foreigners from entering Socotra without obtaining a visa from official authorities. The authorities of the province last Saturday prevented an Emirati plane carrying eight Indian nationals from landing at Al Jazeera airport.

The government source of the island to the existence of previous attempts to enter foreign elements and mercenaries on a private plane Emirates, and the landing of an unknown cargo aboard an Emirati ship in the port of Socotra.

The same source stressed the need to stop what he described as "the absurdity of the UAE in Socotra in the face of non-packages of Saudi forces and the weakness of the legitimate government."

It is noteworthy that the province of Socotra is from the province of southern Yemen, where the Southern Transitional Council seeks to declare secession from the rest of Yemen, which is rejected by the legitimate government.