UAE-Backed Separatists Take South Yemen Oil Fields

 

STC forces seize Ataq

by Jason Ditz 

Posted onAugust 22, 2022CategoriesNewsTagsYemen

Fighting over the future of South Yemen continues to grow, with fighters of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist movement backed by the UAE, have been amassing gains in the Shabwa Province, most recently taking the important city of Ataq.

Shabwa has seen a lot of shuffling of local leaders at orders from pro-Saudi government. The STC and the government have been fighting off and on in recent years, despite attempts at power-sharing.

The most recent focus in Shabwa is to take over oil and natural gas fields, where the Giants Brigade, a very successful STC force, has been overrunning oil fields.

It’s not clear what anyone’s long-term  plan is, but the French government is said to be in talks with the UAE about sending Foreign Legion into Shabwa to protect gas exports. The gas would be meant for Europe to replace what has been missing since the Russia-Ukraine war cut off supplies.

With warring nations keen  to get more foreign interest in Yemen, they may see the gas deal as leverage for French involvement. It’s not clear how this is going to shake out, but clearly there is a rush for Shabwa.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/08/22/uae-backed-separatists-take-south-yemen-oil-fields/