Government security forces recovered a number of state buildings in the capital of Shabwa governorate in southern Yemen on Thursday.

The buildings, which had been occupied by unidentified gunmen since the Houthis withdrew from city of Ataq in 2015, belong to state-owned institutions including the Office of Planning and International Cooperation, the Health Institute, the office of the commander of the military axis, the new hospital and the Qur'an association, according to an official from Shabwa's department of moral guidance of armed forces and security forces.

The security forces had previously issued several warnings to vacate the premises.