SANAA, Yemen

Yemen’s southern separatists have launched a security operation to combat “terrorist” groups south of the war-torn country.

In a statement, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) said the operation aims to clear the southern Abyan province from terrorist groups.

The first phase of the operation was launched by the STC in August to hunt down al-Qaeda terrorists in the province.

The operation came after at least 22 soldiers from the STC-affiliated Security Belt Forces were killed on Sept. 6 in an attack by al-Qaeda terrorists in Abyan.

On Sept. 18, the STC said it had fully seized the Omran camp, the largest stronghold of al-Qaeda in Abyan.

Military headquarters in Abyan come under frequent attacks, usually attributed to al-Qaeda, which is active in the mountainous areas on the outskirts of Ahwar and Al-Mahfad districts, east of Zinjibar city.

The Yemeni army and STC forces share control of the province.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report