IS claims suicide attack on UAE-backed Yemeni troops in Aden

The attack in the north of the port city hit an army mess hall serving the so-called Security Belt brigade, supported by the UAE as part of the coalition backing the internationally recognised government against Houthi rebels.

At least five casualties were reportedly carried out of the charred building. Several cars parked nearby were also severely damaged.  

The blast, claimed by the Islamic State group, left six dead, including a child, and 30 wounded. 

IS claimed the attack on its propaganda arm Amaq, saying an "act of martyrdom by car bombing" had hit the "main headquarters for food run by the Security Belt which is loyal to the United Arab Emirates, in the area of Dareen in the Mansoura district of Aden". 

The UAE is a key player in the Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels, who control most of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

However, the Emiratis largely control Aden - a southern coastal port city and the temporary capital of the war-torn country.

The coalition is fighting on the side of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's government, but the UAE has long been at odds with Hadi, with each side running its own armed groups in a power struggle across southern Yemen.

The latest developments come nearly a year after Hadi ordered the relocation of the Central Bank to Aden. Since then, his rivals have accused him of stashing cash in private banks and in the presidential palace, allegations denied by the government.

The unpaid salaries have crippled Yemen's public sector amid three years of grinding war. Malnutrition, cholera, and other diseases have killed thousands of civilians, and millions have come to depend on humanitarian assistance for survival.

On February 24, twin suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State group hit a base of an Aden counter-terrorism unit, killing five people, including a child.

The government established its headquarters in Aden, after the rebels forced it out of the capital.

In January, Aden was rocked by deadly clashes that saw southern separatists seize much of the city from other pro-government forces.