Forces loyal to Yemen’s STC seize control of oilfields in Hadhramaut

Forces loyal to Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) said on Thursday they had seized control of oilfields in the eastern province of Hadhramaut.

Members of the Hadhrami Elite Forces said they had taken control of checkpoints protecting oil installations in the Hadhramaut Highlands, in a statement reported by the STC-affiliated Aden Independent Channel.

It said "disagreements among the leaders of the armed groups [Hadhramaut Protection Forces] led to the intervention".

The Hadhramaut Protection Forces, part of the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance, had seized the oilfields about a week earlier as part of an escalation in tension with the STC, which is a part of Yemen's internationally recognised government and seeks autonomy for the country's south.

The STC said on Wednesday it had moved troops into the oil-rich province to confront a “rebellion” led by tribal forces demanding greater control over local resources. “We are aiming at controlling all of Hadhramaut,” an STC official told The National.

The STC said the rebellion was led by Amr bin Habrish, the provincial under secretary. It said his men had entered the oilfields last week and insisted on more control and revenue, forcing oil companies to halt operations.

On Tuesday, STC spokesman Anwar Al Tamimi accused Mr bin Habrish of aligning with extremist groups. “Al Qaeda, ISIS and other armed groups are exploiting the vulnerability of the situation, allowing for infiltration and dire consequences,” he said.

Hadhramaut is Yemen's largest and most geographically diverse governorate. It stretches from the Arabian Sea in the south to the northern border with Saudi Arabia. It is a crucial land bridge connecting the nation to Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Yemen was plunged into civil war after the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen in 2014, forcing the government to move south to the port city of Aden.