Abyan (Debriefer) - The Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces killed 40 of the Yemeni government troops in clashes seen in the last 2 days by the southern governorate of Abyan, spokesman of the STC forces there tweeted on Tuesday.
The government "enemy militias suffered grave losses in the last 48 hours," Mohamed al-Naqib added.
Among the killed troops were "leaders who came from the northeastern governorate of Marib, and emirs of al-Qaeda and Daesh," he claimed, without giving names.
No comment has immediately been issued by the official government troops on the STC claims.
Many areas of Shoqra in Abyan were the scene of fierce fighting between the STC forces and government army last week, with Friday seeing the fiercest.
On Monday, the STC accused the government troops of attacking its forces' sites in al-Tariah and coastal fronts in Abyan.
Last Sunday, gunmen affiliated to the STC ambushed a number of the government troops' vehicles in al-Mahfad district, also in Abyan.
"STC forces opened fire from light and medium guns at convey thought to be government troops' reinforcements in the form of armored vehicles and armed pickups," local sources said then.
The military troops escaped the ambush, continued their progress towards the international route linking Abyan to Shabwa, and reached the coastal city of Shoqra where the government army is based, the sources added.
The two parties are continuously mobilizing their respective forces in Abyan, where violence has been raging for many months now.
