Officials have said that at least 15 government troops have been killed and a further 17 injured and captured in the south of Yemen. The Houthis are allied with former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted by his own forces last year. The troops were ambushed in the town of Ahwar (Abyan province), which has been under AQAP's control since February; AQAP and ISIS have taken advantage of fighting in the past year. Houthi rebels and military still loyal to the former president have been battling a US-backed, Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which supports an internationally recognised government. In a bid to end the debilitating conflict, the UN is backing talks, which are due to start in Kuwait on 18 April.
Officials have said that at least 15 government troops have been killed and a further 17 injured and captured in the south of Yemen. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was blamed, but denied involvement in the attack. The troops were ambushed in the town of Ahwar (Abyan province), which has been under AQAP's control since February; AQAP and ISIS have taken advantage of fighting in the past year. Houthi rebels and military still loyal to the former president have been battling a US-backed, Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which supports an internationally recognised government. In a bid to end the debilitating conflict, the UN is backing talks, which are due to start in Kuwait on 18 April.