Tribal tensions erupted on Thursday between Khwalan and Sanhan tribes following the abduction of a high-ranking military commander, Murad Al-Awbali, by soldiers from Khawlan, local sources said.
The sources said that the Sanhan that Al-Awbli is originally from it kidnapped a number of persons who are from Khwlan in an attempt to put pressures on the kidnappers to release Al-Awbali.
Al-Awbali who commands the 62nd Republican Guard Brigade was kidnapped in protest at not giving the soldiers their salaries after they declared their support to Yemen's peaceful revolution.
The sources said the soldiers staged an set-in two days ago, demanding to release their suspended salaries and their demands were not met.
The soldiers had declared their support to the Yemeni peaceful revolution after they refused to take part in the crackdown conducted against the uprising that overthrew the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh last year.
Military sources said the soldiers had been ordered to return to the brigade to receive their salaries, and they had refused to do so while Saleh's son, Ahmed, remained in charge for fear of disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, well-informed sources said that the commander of the Republican Guard Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh gave an ultimatum of 24 hours to release Al-Awbli and that he will behave on his own way if Al-Awbali is not released.
They said that the soldiers joined the revolution after they refused to take part in the crackdown conducted against the peaceful youth revolution last year.
Al-Awbali is accused of committing crimes against protesters in the southern province of Taiz. Taiz protesters demonstrated repeatedly, demanding to hold al-Awbali accountable.