Yemen is preparing to host the Gulf's largest football tournament.
But separatists in the country's south are threatening to target the event.
Five people were killed last week after a bomb attack at one of the tournament's stadiums.
A force of 30 000 troops will be deployed around the cities hosting the event to preempt any al-Qaeda infiltration from the neighbouring province.
Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reports from the city of Abyan.
