By Abdullah Abu Al-Hassan
Fierce fighting between government forces and southern separatists has reportedly blocked Al-Abr, the main road linking Yemen from the southeast with Saudi Arabia, local sources have said.
An informed source said on Thursday, "The battles between the [Ar*a/b Co*alit*ion-backed] separatist Giants Brigades and the army have intensified as the Brigades tried to advance on the army's sites after capturing Eyadh area, 40 km east of Ataq," the provincial capital of Shabwa.
As a result of these clashes, land transportation from and to Al-Wadia border crossing with Saudi Arabia "has been blocked," said the source. The source said the army's sites have been coming under drone airstrikes.
Separatists recently captured the provincial capital of Shabwa in a military campaign led by the [Ar*ab Co*alit*ion-backed] illegally appointed governor Awadh Al-Awlaki that led to the ouster of the lightly armed regular government forces from the city. Since then they have been amassing troops and modern military equipment to advance further eastward.