Many killed in south Yemen as crowd linked with STC storms gov’t building

Hospital head tells Al Jazeera that five people were killed and 39 wounded when security dispersed protesters.

A crowd linked to Yemen’s separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) has attempted to storm a local government building in the southeastern Yemeni city of Ataq, leaving several dead, according to local authorities and sources.

The security committee in Shabwah governorate said armed fighters assaulted security and military personnel and fired live ammunition during Wednesday’s attack, resulting in casualties as official forces intervened.

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It is the latest eruption of violence consuming the conflict-ridden and impoverished nation.

Rami Lamlas, deputy head of the Shabwah General Hospital Authority, told Al Jazeera that five people were killed and 39 wounded when security and military forces dispersed demonstrators affiliated with the STC.

Local sources told Al Jazeera that supporters of the STC had organised a march in Ataq before heading towards the local government building, attempting to storm it and remove the national flag.

The attack came days after the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), the executive body of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, announced a new cabinet with diverse political and regional affiliations, as part of efforts to govern the divided Arab nation.

Last month, the PLC established its hold over southern Yemen with the backing of Saudi Arabia after an STC attempt to take control over two southern provinces failed, leading to the latter’s collapse and dissolution and the withdrawal of United Arab Emirates forces, which backed the group according to Saudi and Yemeni leaders, from southern Yemen.

The security committee in Shabwah said it would take action against anyone proven to be involved in inciting or planning action, or using weapons, urging citizens to resist any calls to get involved.