They said Saturday the fighters have seized the Tawahi district entirely and were patrolling the streets.
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A high-ranking army official stated the authorities in Aden wrongfully gave weapons to Al Qaeda once they randomly distributed them to pro-government forces in Aden in March and April whereas pursuing the Houthis.
The deaths occurred when Saudi-led Arab coalition air strikes hit civilian homes, MSF said in a statement released on Friday. “There were an overwhelming number of civilians killed yesterday”.
Affiliates of the local al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have claimed responsibility for the attack in several posts online, but the claims cannot be independently verified.
“These elements have since (the start of) August destroyed or removed secret police files in Aden”, the official said.
Explosive devices had been planted on the fence of surrounding the building, he said, which was severely damaged in the blasts.
Forces loyal to Yemen’s government retook the city from Iran-allied Houthi militia last month. “So far they aren’t harassing people, trying instead to gain support, though I fully realize they are waiting for the right moment to attack and control all of Aden”, Faris said.
These included a building belonging to the navy, another to the intelligence service, a presidential residence and the Gold Mohur hotel.
General Ali Nasser al-Akhsha, an aide to the interior minister, said the “extremists are beginning to appear in the open, but we are going to clear them out as quickly as possible”.
Elsewhere, a Saudi Apache helicopter crashed, and its two pilots were killed, as it patrolled in the Jazan region on the border with Yemen, the coalition said on Saturday.
The U.A.E.’s involvement comes as the Saudi-led coalition steps up its ground offensive after nearly five months of airstrikes against the Houthis, who seized the Yemeni capital Sana’a in September and forced President Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi’s internationally recognized government to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
Among those killed, at least 17 were children and 20 were women, according to Doctors Without Borders, which added that more than 65 people were killed in Taiz on Thursday.
UN aid Chief Stephen O´Brien said he was concerned the air strikes could have a severe impact on an already dire humanitarian situation.
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A foreign ship with a load of commercial goods docked in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden Friday, marking the beginning of a return to normal life after heavy fighting in the area.
