Yemen's government forces attempt to seize Aden

Forces of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government on Wednesday launched a large-scale attack against the strategic port city of Aden which is controlled by the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

The government's attack aimed at expelling the STC forces out from Aden, but sparked intense armed confrontations around the city's eastern main entrances.

Local residents told Xinhua that the government forces used heavy artillery shelling and attempted to enter the well-secured city that's considered as a main bastion of the STC.

They said that "the STC rapidly deployed its armed forces across the streets and completely secured all the neighborhoods of Aden city."

The government's attempt to regain control over Aden was aborted militarily by the STC, according to the residents.

Other local residents said that government forces backed by armored vehicles withdrew and stationed in Aden's outskirts after facing strong resistance from the STC.

A member of the Aden-based STC told Xinhua that "there was a conspiracy masterminded by some Islamic parties linked to the Yemeni government against Aden and other southern cities."

He said that "the political parties based outside Yemen began with a vicious misinformation campaign through their media outlets and accompanied it with attacks against the city's entrances."

Earlier in the day, Yemeni government officials, including the country's minister of information, claimed that their forces advanced on ground and reached the main gates of Aden International Airport in khorMaksar district.

But workers at the airport denied the claim, saying that clashes are taking place in areas near KhorMaksar district, while the airport is still controlled by the STC forces.

Scores of tribal fighters loyal to the STC were seen deployed in Aden's streets and around key government facilities in Aden.

The southern port city of Aden is almost entirely under the control of the STC forces that are also allied to the Saudi-led coalition in the fighting against the Houthis.

Considered as Yemen's temporary capital, Aden is where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has based itself since 2015.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces including the capital Sanaa.