Southern forces deployed in Yemen's Aden amid spike of terror attacks

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ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) were deployed in several parts of Yemen's strategic port city of Aden on Saturday, following simultaneous terror attacks, a security official told Xinhua.

The Aden-based official said on condition of anonymity that "the Supreme Security Committee in Aden took a decision to reinforce a number of areas in Aden following a series of terror attacks."

"The fragile security situation in Aden encouraged the terrorist elements to launch attacks in the city, particularly after the last events," he said.

According to the official, there are also a number of decisions aimed at tightening the security situation, including banning of motorcycles in the city.

Earlier in the day, a local police officer said that unknown gunmen opened against a security checkpoint near Enma neighborhood of Aden.

"The gunmen riding a motorcycle rained the checkpoint with a barrage of bullets and then fled to unknown locations," said the officer anonymously.

On Friday, the Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for a suicide motorcycle bombing that targeted a security checkpoint in Aden's neighborhood of Dar Saad, leaving five soldiers killed at the scene.

Different areas in Aden that's currently controlled by the STC forces were struck by simultaneous armed attacks that left casualties among soldiers.

An explosion caused by a roadside bomb struck a motorcade of the Security Belt forces leader Wadah Omar along with other officers in Sheikh Othman neighborhood of Aden.

All the security commanders survived the bombing safely, but around five of their bodyguards were seriously injured, according to a local security source.

Forces of the STC completely secured neighboring Aden after aborting a large-scale military operation launched on Wednesday by the Yemeni government to retake the strategic southern city.

Aden and neighboring southern provinces of Lahj and Abyan are entirely under the control of the STC forces that are also allied to the Saudi-led coalition in the fighting against the Houthis.

Considered as Yemen's temporary capital, Aden is where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has based itself since 2015.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces including the capital Sanaa. Enditem

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