Yemeni special forces opposed to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi battled loyalist militia in his southern power base Aden today leaving five people dead and forcing the international airport to close.
The heavily armed troops, who are allied with Shiite militia in control of the capital Sanaa, advanced inside the airport perimeter but the Hadi loyalists managed to secure the runway, security sources said.
Fighting also erupted in other parts of the port city, including outside the Aden branch of Yemen's central bank, as special forces commander Abdel Hafez al-Saqqaf deployed his men at points around the city during the night.
Two Hadi loyalists were killed and seven wounded, the militia said.
"I could not move," one told AFP, saying that access to the airport was blocked by armed men.
Hadi fled to Aden last month after escaping from house arrest by the Shiite militia who control the capital, and sought to reestablish his authority in the southern port city.
Much of Aden is under the control of the Popular Resistance Committees, locally recruited militia loyal to Hadi, but the 2,000 strong special forces refuse to acknowledge his authority.
The Huthi militia, who overran the capital last September, named the council to replace Hadi in February but the president says it has no legitimacy.
Yemen, a front line in the US war on Al Qaeda, has descended into chaos since the 2012 ouster of longtime strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been accused of backing the Huthis.
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