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Infighting in southern Yemen exposes fragility of leadership council

Despite the existence of Yemen’s new leadership in Aden, fierce combat has wreaked havoc in Shabwa province in southern Yemen.
SALEH AL-OBEIDI/AFP via Getty Images

Deadly infighting rocked Yemen’s Shabwa province over the last few days, with dozens of deaths and injuries, amid tensions between pro-government forces in Attaq, the capital of Shabwa, an oil-rich province in southern Yemen.

On July 19, the commander of the Special Security Forces, Brig. Gen. Abd Rabbo Lakab, survived an assassination attempt in Attaq. Two of his bodyguards died in the attack, but the commander escaped unscathed. He accused UAE-backed southern separatist forces of orchestrating the assault.

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