Abyan governor in Hadi government, Abu Bakr Hussein Salem, accused the tribes in the center of Shuqrah region of being behind the kidnapping of the UN team nearly two weeks ago, despite al-Qaeda’s recognition of the operation, local sources in Abyan province said.
The move came during a meeting with the tribes on Wednesday
According to the sources, Salem gave Sheikhs in the directorates of Lawdar, Mudiyah and al-Aadhia four days to hand over the five kidnapped UN staff.
He threatened a military operation if the team was not released within the deadline.
The sources said that the tribes rejected the accusations against them, considering the accusations as an attempt by the “Hadi government” to implicate them in the kidnapping in defense of al-Qaeda, which has close ties with the Hadi government.
