اضغط هنا لقراءة الخبر بالعربية
Abu al-Abbas Salfist Battalion forces started late Friday withdrawal from the southwestern city of Taiz, as part of a locally-brokered lull deal, after armed clashes with pro-Islah Party forces had left scores killed or injured.
More than 50 armed vehicles of the Battalion, a unit of the 35th Armored Brigade, have commenced pullout from Taiz old city heading to the western front of Kadaha, said local sources, with the process observed by the lull committee and guarded by presidential guard and special forces.
Troops from the fifth presidential guard brigade have positioned inside the old city in preparation for handing it out to security forces.
Taiz lull committee and Abu al-Abbas Battalion reached on Friday a deal, providing for submission of the wanted, withdrawal of fighters from the old city and redeployment of Battalion troops to fronts in combat with Houthis.
Under the pact, Taiz police would normalize security situation in the city.
But the Battalion said the "displacement deal" was reached "at gunpoint and enforcedly to spare the blood of civilians, following the legitimate government's desertion."
Most of the Battalion personnel the deal asked to be "displaced are originally from Taiz old city," the Battalion claimed in a statement, reiterating that it had no links with people wanted over security issues.
The Battalion "represents no party or group," it said, and "this enforced deal is by no means binding for Taiz people affected by violence, terror and barbarian invasion."
The statement urged the government and international groups to provide furnished dwellings, transportation, rations and all other support needed to relocate families of the "displaced personnel".
Early on Thursday, pro-Islah Party 'popular mobilization' militias launched intense attack on Taiz old city, pushing the locals to call for help using mikes of mosques.
On Friday, the Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi called Taiz Governor Nabil Shamsan on phone to stress the need for "ending the escalation and insecurity and for local authorities' directives to be abided by fully so as to stabilize security and save all" Taiz people.
Bloodshed should be stopped, "resources and efforts should be lined up to confront rebellion forces of Houthi militias .. and state institutions should be enhanced to do their duties in normalizing the life," the Aden-based Saba quoted Hadi as saying.
Taiz has witnessed sporadic armed clashes between the Muslim Brethren-affiliated Islah divisions and others led by Abu al-Abbas, with the former backed by government senior leaders and the latter by the UAE.
Pro-Islah divisions are accused by most of Taiz people of attempts to exclude all forces from other political parties and to gain control over the heavily populated governorate.
