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| Yemen army base seized by al-Qaeda linked fighters | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Al-Qaeda linked fighters have captured an army base in southern Yemen, militants and officials say, as the UN warns the country is "collapsing". | Al-Qaeda linked fighters have captured an army base in southern Yemen, militants and officials say, as the UN warns the country is "collapsing". |
| The Ansar al-Sharia group said they set off a bomb at the base in the central town Bayhan before capturing soldiers. | The Ansar al-Sharia group said they set off a bomb at the base in the central town Bayhan before capturing soldiers. |
| Last week, Shia Houthis ousted the government in the capital Sanaa. | Last week, Shia Houthis ousted the government in the capital Sanaa. |
| They have been expanding south from their stronghold in the north, putting them in conflict with al-Qaeda in Yemen (AQAP) and other Sunni groups. | They have been expanding south from their stronghold in the north, putting them in conflict with al-Qaeda in Yemen (AQAP) and other Sunni groups. |
| "Yemen is collapsing before our eyes. We cannot stand by and watch," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told the Security Council. | "Yemen is collapsing before our eyes. We cannot stand by and watch," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told the Security Council. |
| The UN's envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, warned that Yemen was at a crossroads between "civil war and disintegration". | The UN's envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, warned that Yemen was at a crossroads between "civil war and disintegration". |
| He also said the instability there could help the re-emergence of AQAP, one of the most active al-Qaeda branches. | He also said the instability there could help the re-emergence of AQAP, one of the most active al-Qaeda branches. |
| The army base seized on Thursday is in Shabwa province, an al-Qaeda stronghold. It is reportedly home to more than 1,000 troops. | The army base seized on Thursday is in Shabwa province, an al-Qaeda stronghold. It is reportedly home to more than 1,000 troops. |
| The militants captured heavy weaponry when they took the base, one official told the AFP news agency. | The militants captured heavy weaponry when they took the base, one official told the AFP news agency. |
| Tribal mediators were trying to convince the group to withdraw, the official added. | Tribal mediators were trying to convince the group to withdraw, the official added. |
| The Houthis moves last week - dissolving parliament and announcing a new interim government - have been called a "coup" by critics. | The Houthis moves last week - dissolving parliament and announcing a new interim government - have been called a "coup" by critics. |
| The US, UK and France have said they are closing their embassies in Yemen due to the deteriorating security situation there. | The US, UK and France have said they are closing their embassies in Yemen due to the deteriorating security situation there. |