SANAA, 31 December 2021, (TON): Local officials and media reports said “at least 11 Yemeni government troops were killed and 17 others wounded when an explosion caused by a Houthi missile or drone strike rocked their military base in the southern province of Shabwa.”

A local government official told media “soldiers from the Giants Brigades were regrouping inside a military base in the Markha Al-Soufla district when a large explosion ripped through the base.”

The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said “the Giants Brigades were getting ready to advance toward other areas in Markha Al-Soufla to defend them against Houthi incursions.”

Local media reports said the explosion was caused by a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis, but other sources said that an explosives-rigged, Houthi-controlled drone attacked the base.

On Tuesday night, two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis landed inside Ataq airport in the provincial capital of Shabwa, shortly after the Giants Brigades took charge of the airport from local military units.

The newly appointed governor of Shabwa, Awadh Mohammed Al-Wazer, visited the wounded soldiers in Ataq hospital.

Yemeni military analyst Khaled Al-Nasi said that the military commanders were expecting Houthi attacks on the new troops in Shabwa and had taken precautionary measures.