Seven fighters were killed after Saudi Arabia carried out air strikes on positions held by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southeastern Yemen, the separatist group said on Friday.
More than 20 others were also wounded as seven air strikes hit a camp in al-Khasah, said Mohammed Abdulmalik, head of the STC in Wadi Hadhramaut and the Hadhramaut Desert.
Strikes were also reported at an airport and military base in Hadhramaut's city of Seiyun.
The attacks came as forces backed by Riyadh launched an offensive to reclaim territory taken over by the STC in December.
Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of the Hadhramout province, who is supported by Saudi Arabia, said early on Friday that he was launching a “peaceful operation” to take back military positions seized by the STC during its rapid offensive a month ago.
