Yemen; 27 killed in clashes between separatists and al-Qaeda fighters

 Sana'a: A total of 27 people were killed in the war between separatists and al-Qaeda fighters in Yemen.

According to the World News Agency, fighters of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula attacked the separatists in the southern province of Abyan administered by the United Arab Emirates in Yemen.

Yemeni separatists and UAE-trained security personnel also put up fierce resistance. 21 officials and 6 al-Qaeda fighters were killed in the encounter that lasted for 2 hours.

These separatists of Abyan are supported by the United Arab Emirates and also perform security duties in the province. These separatists have a year-long ceasefire with the Houthi rebels.

The bloody clash between al-Qaeda fighters and UAE-backed rebels came after a video of a UN volunteer being held by al-Qaeda went viral. 5 UN volunteers were abducted from the port in February this year.

In Yemen's ongoing war since 2014, large parts of Yemen, including the capital, are ruled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, and some areas are ruled by the Saudi-backed government, while the southern province is occupied by separatists who side with neither the government nor the Houthi rebels.