The first since the announcement of "self-management" ... battles between the transitional government and the Yemeni government in Abyan

Al-Jazeera Net - private

Today, clashes erupted between the Yemeni government forces and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in the southern governorate of Abyan, in the first major confrontations between the two sides since the announcement of a "self-management" council for the southern regions.

Military sources confirmed that there were dead and wounded in clashes between the two sides in the village of "Sheikh Salem" east of the city of Zanzibar, the capital of Abyan province.

The sources confirmed the government forces control of the village of "Sheikh Salem" and the location of the "barriers" east of the city of Zanzibar, after clashes with the forces of the Transitional Council and then retreated to the "Hassan" area, and its stationing in the vicinity of Zanzibar and its eastern gate with the arrival of military reinforcements from Aden.

Meanwhile, Yemeni military sources told Al-Jazeera Net that large military forces moved from the Yemeni Shabwa Governorate towards the Shaqra area in Abyan Governorate, in order to support the government army forces that are engaged in confrontations with the Transitional Forces.

The sources stated that military reinforcements from the security belt forces supported by Abu Dhabi also reached Abyan as a reinforcement of the transitional forces deployed in some locations in the city.

Local sources and eyewitnesses told Al-Jazeera Net that violent clashes erupted between the two sides, and the sounds of mutual artillery shelling inside the residential neighborhoods caused widespread fear among the residents.

In the same direction, the head of what is known as the Southern Transitional Council, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, said - in a televised speech from his residence in Abu Dhabi in a military uniform - that they face today a fateful war that puts them before a real test to confirm that they are responsible.

In his speech, Al-Zubaidi urged the people of the south to defend what he called national gains, saying, "Be ready to support your forces on all fronts of combat, and to defend the land of the south."

The dispute between the transitional and the legitimate government escalated during the past days after the transitional announced self-administration for the south, which the Yemeni government considered a new coup and in violation of the Riyadh agreement that was signed between the two parties under the supervision of Saudi Arabia and was not implemented until the moment.