Yemen: Curfew imposed on Aden after 17 killed in fighting

Curfew has been imposed on Yemen's port city of Aden after fierce fighting broke out between suspected Islamic State (Isis) militants and government troops killing 17 people, including nine security personnel. The curfew decision was taken by the security commission of Aden Governorate, chaired by the Governor of Aden, Brigadier Aidarous Qasim Al Zubaidi.

The curfew will come into effect at 8pm (1700 GMT) and be in force till 5am (0200 GMT) on 5 January.

The fighting between government troops and suspected IS terrorists took place at a seaport in Mualla district on 3 January when government forces launched an operation to take complete control of the area, which had earlier been seized by militants. According to reports, IS, al-Qaeda and other militant groups were using the port for smuggling operations.

The fighting lasted for several hours before President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's troops were able to take complete control of the area.

Aden has long been plagued by the al-Qaeda and now IS too is looking to expand its influence in the port city, which is currently Yemen's temporary capital. Around 800,000 people reside in the port city.

Added to the rise in terrorist activities in the country, Yemen is in the midst of a civil war, in which both Iran-backed Houthi rebels, belonging to the Shia sect and the Saudi-backed Sunni-led government are vying to take complete control of the country. The two sides had initiated peace talks on 15 December in Switzerland but they came to an abrupt halt as fighting broke out between the two sides on 19 December.

At least 40 rebels and 35 pro-government troops were killed in the fighting on 19 December. The rebel group has alleged that the fighting broke out after Saudi-backed government troops advanced towards the Red Sea port of Midi.

Civil war erupted in Yemen after the rebels captured Yemen's capital Sanaa in September 2014 and forced the government into exile. In March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign against the rebels, and since then at least 5,700 people have been killed.