AL-DHALE’, July 27 — Armed men from the Southern Movement wounded the Security Chief of the Directorate of Al-Dhale’ district, Major Ali Al-Azraqi, and three of his men on Monday in an attack with grenades and light weapons.
Local sources said that the attack was followed by a clash between security forces and Southern Movement militants which continued until Tuesday night. Several explosions targeted the Al-Dhale’ police station and some military sites, but no causalities were reported.
In Lahj governorate, it was reported that Deputy Director of Political Security, Colonel Abdu Muhsin Al-Hashidi, was injured on Monday in an assassination attempt by an armed group on the road between Lahj and Aden. He was sent to a hospital in Aden.
Earlier this week, unknown gunmen in Radfan, Lahj governorate attacked the electricity generators of Al-Dhale’ governorate on Friday, causing a complete electrical outage for all nine directorates of the governorate and some parts of Ibb.
On Sunday fire was exchanged between security forces and armed men, causing the death of four soldiers and injuries to others in Halmeen district in Lahj. A number of security personnel had entered the region, where they exchanged fire with the militants.
Local sources said that the director of the electricity cooperation in Al-Dhale informed the governor, Ali QassemTaleb, he had left responsibility of the electricity cut off because of the repeated attacks on generators for more than a month.
Locals in areas affected by the electrical outage called on local authorities in Radfan to carry its responsibility and demanded a proper solution to the frequent attacks on generators and cables which disturbed public security and shut down many of the interests of the local businesses.
The generators have been targeted in attacks in recent weeks by gunmen. The generators were repaired after continuous demands by local people.The targeted generators are in Safa Hila in Halmeen district between Al-Dhale’ and Aden.
According to a statement from people of Al-Dhale’, earlier this month there was an expanded meeting of the Local Council to discuss the issue.
The statement noted that gunmen used RPGs and improvised explosions to cut the electrical cables and damage the generators and towers.
It added that although the electricity workers tried to repair the damages, the gunmen sometimes attacked and kidnapped the workers to prevent them from repairing the damages. They also seized vehicles belonging to the electricity corporation.
In the statement, the local people of Al-Dhale’ expressed their rejection of such acts by gunmen and demanded their arrest and trial.
Attacks repeatedly targeted the area located near the electricity cable from the power plant in Al-Anad in Lahj to Al-Dhale’ and caused frequent electricity cuts in the governorate.
These cuts caused chaos and outrage among the people, who demanded that security forces stop these attacks on power stations, which hugely damaged public and private interests.
Earlier this month there was a fire in the power station in the city’s district of Al-Rayyan, Al-Mukalla. This caused a power outage for 18 hours.
Another fire occurred at Al-Huswah power station, in Aden, a week after the Al-Mukalla fire. Some areas surrounding Shiekh Othman district in Aden city witnessed electricity cuts for 12 hours.
In June, the Ministry of Electricity imposed an estimated 50 percent increase in electricity prices, which appeared in monthly bills.