Shabwa (South24) 

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Today, a soldier from the Southern forces was wounded in a drone attack in Al-Musina'a area of Shabwa governorate.

South24 correspondent reported that a drone targeted the Shabwa Defense Forces in Al-Musina'a area of Al-Saeed district leading to the wound of a soldier.

After the attack, Shabwa Defense Forces opened fire on gunmen believed to be from AQAP who were stationed in "Mathab" mountains, which are distant mountains overlooking Al-Musina'a, within a mountain range that extends to the Al-Mahfad district of Abyan, according to our correspondent.

The attack comes one day after AQAP claimed a drone attack against the Southern forces in Shabwa governorate.

On Al-Malahem platform, the organization published aerial footage showing the first attack of its kind that targeted a site of the Shabwa Defense Forces, on May 12, in Al-Musina'a area.

A drone targeted the site with three missiles, one of which failed to explode, according to South24 correspondent in Shabwa governorate.

These attacks on AQAP are the first of their kind after the Iranian-backed Houthi militia monopolized the use of drones over the past years.

Analysts did not rule out that the recent AQAP attacks using drones were supported by the Houthis. The group did not comment on these allegations.

In a related context, Shabwa Defense Forces announced today that they had seized control devices for explosive devices in the city of Ataq.

AQAP launched dozens of attacks on the Southern forces in Abyan governorate, using explosive devices and mines, since the beginning of 2023, after suffering heavy losses at the end of last year.

Last September, the Southern forces took control of AQAP largest strongholds after entering Wadi Oemran in centeral Abyan as part of the Arrows of the East operation, which spread to the central regions of Abyan.