Pro-secession gunmen seize military checkpoints in Yemen's south

Dozens of pro-secession gunmen took control of several military and security checkpoints in Yemen's southern regions on Saturday, a government official told Xinhua.

"Militia belonging to the separatist Southern Movement took control over three of the main checkpoints in Aden's suburbs and forced army soldiers to surrender," the local government official said on condition of anonymity.

In the southern Shabwa province, secessionist gunmen seized more than seven key military sites after brief clashes with army soldiers, the official said.

Meanwhile, a tribal source close to the Southern Movement said "our fighters captured an important military checkpoint in the country's central region."

In Aden province, local media reports said Saturday that the Naval Military base located in Aden's neighborhood of Tawahi is under control of pro-secession gunmen.

The Yemeni parliament on Thursday night rejected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's resignation and called for holding an emergency session on Sunday to resolve the crisis, after Hadi submitted his resignation amid standoff with the Shiite Houthi group who controls the capital.

On Friday, hundreds of tribesmen loyal to Hadi streamed into the Aden city, the provincial capital of Aden province, and took over control of the airport, seaport and government buildings.

The Supreme Security Committee in Aden issued a statement Thursday night and urged all the government institutions as well as the military brigades in the south to defy orders from the capital Sanaa in support for Hadi. Endit