SANAA, Yemen / ISTANBUL 

Yemeni government forces seized a key military camp in Hadhramaut in the country’s east on Friday after clashes with the Southern Transitional Council (STC), local authorities said.

The Nation’s Shield Forces took control of the Brigade 37 camp in the Al-Khashaa area, north of the province, Hadhramaut Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi said in statements carried by the official Yemen TV.

No further details were given about the takeover.

The camp is considered one of the most strategic military installations in Hadhramaut.

The governor had earlier announced the launch of a military operation to take control of military sites in the province, saying the move aims to neutralize weapons and protect the province from “dangerous scenarios that serve only chaos.”

The operation, dubbed “Taking Over the Camps,” seeks the peaceful and orderly handover of military sites across the province, Khanbashi said in earlier statements.

“This operation does not target any political or social component, does not target civilians, and does not affect the lives or interests of citizens in any way,” he added.

He rejected claims that the move amounts to an escalation or a declaration of war against the STC, describing it instead as a preventive measure aimed at removing weapons from chaos and preventing military camps from being used to threaten the security of Hadhramaut and its people.

Saudi-led coalition fighter jets struck forces loyal to the STC in the Hadhramaut province on Friday after they set up ambushes targeting Yemeni government troops, Yemen’s Information Ministry Undersecretary Mohammed Qizan told Al Jazeera.

Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday after STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the same day of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. Abu Dhabi denied the accusation.

The STC says successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s unity.