Roundup: Tensions mount in Yemen's Aden amid standoff between Hadi, security leadership

Tensions in Yemen's southern port city of Aden have mounted over the past few days amid an escalating standoff between President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Special Security Forces leadership, which has sparked clashes.

Hadi, who fled to Aden after escaping house arrest of the Shiite Houthi militia that controls the capital Sanaa, issued his first presidential decree after resuming his duties which ordered to sack a number of intelligence and security commanders in the city.

Brigadier Abdul-Haffez Saqqaf, commander of the Special Security Forces in Aden, was replaced for his suspected links to the Shiite Houthi group in Sanaa.

However, Saqqaf defied Hadi's decree and refused to step down from his position, considering Hadi as illegitimate president. He has waged sporadic clashes with pro-Hadi tribal militia who are trying to force the well-trained troops to surrender.

The most violent clashes were witnessed on Tuesday night, when the tribal militia threatened to sack Saqqaf even by force and attacked two security checkpoints near Aden's International Airport with grenades, leaving casualties from both sides, according to government officials based in Aden.

"Pro-Hadi tribal militia closed all entrances leading to special forces headquarters in Aden in an attempt to besiege the soldiers as Saqqaf refuses to step down," a government official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"The security forces can do great damage if they engaged in fighting with the tribal militia. It is a big base and the weapons under its control are more than we think," he said, adding that "I don't think he's going to step down voluntarily."

Local observers based in Aden fear that militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch may exploit the current power struggle in Aden and launch terrorist attacks to seize territories in the country's troubled south.

On Monday, scores of the al-Qaida operatives were deployed in the Mahfad's entrances and attempted to take full control over the area after attacking the 39th Armored Brigade positioned in the area.

On Tuesday, Hadi called for a ministerial meeting to be held in Aden with about 17 ministers and five deputy ministers of the resigned cabinet.

However, a presidential source at the Republican Palace in Aden said Hadi's meeting with ministers was postponed for one week for unknown reasons.

The country's Defense Minister Major General Mahmoud al-Subaihi who succeeded to leave his house arrest in Sanaa on Saturday and arrived at his hometown in the southern Lahj province along with some his followers has refused to meet Hadi in Aden.

"Hadi sent two delegations to negotiate with the defense minister in order to convince him to attend the government meeting and join Hadi in confronting Houthis," according to a source close to al-Subaihi.

"But Subaihi rejected Hadi's call and insisted to stay at his hometown, saying he will not involve the country's armed forces in the current political conflict between warring rivals in Sanaa and Aden," the source said on condition of anonymity.

Hadi has stepped up to confront the Houthis after he arrived in Aden last month, with support of Gulf nations. He called on political parties to move the reconciliation talks to the Saudi capital of Riyadh, a move was rejected by the Shiite Houthi that currently controls Sanaa.

On Feb. 6, the Houthi group announced a unilateral move to dissolve the parliament of Yemen and form a presidential council to take over power, which was rejected by Yemen's political parties and denounced by the Gulf Arab states.

More than a dozen countries have closed their embassies in Sanaa in protest against the Houthi's decision. Some Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have moved their missions to Aden to show support for Hadi.

Security situation deteriorated since then as observers said Yemen is on the brink of civil war and the al-Qaida group based in the country's southern regions may expand its influence taking advantage of the unrest. Endit