A 400-strong Sudanese force arrived in Yemen’s port city Aden Monday in support of pro-government forces preparing to confront a possible new offensive by rebels on the country’s south.

Yemen’s loyalist forces, backed by Saudi-led coalition strikes, supplies and troops, pushed the rebels out of Aden as part of an operation launched in July to take back territory they had lost.

Four other southern provinces — Lahj, Daleh, Abyan and Shabwa — were also retaken by the forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

“More than 400 Sudanese soldiers landed in Aden” as part of the coalition battling the rebels since March, said a commander of pro-Hadi forces.

They will join 500 Sudanese soldiers who arrived in Aden on October 19. Some of them were deployed in the southern port and the strategic Al-Anad airbase in adjacent Lahj province, the source said.

Their arrival comes as loyalist forces are mobilising to block a possible attempt by the rebels to re-enter Aden.