Yemen officials: UAE-backed forces take southern oil fields

By AHMED AL-HAJ
Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni officials say forces backed by the United Arab Emirates have seized control of vital southern oil and gas fields after nearly a week of fierce clashes in the region. The fighting pitted the UAE-backed Giants Brigades and Shabwa Defense Forces on one side and the paramilitary police known as the Special Security Forces. The groups are all nominal allies as part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the country’s Houthi rebels since 2015. The infighting in Shabwa began earlier this month and the Emirati-backed forces took control of the provincial capital of Ataq, before seizing oil and gas fields.