UN mission convoy in Yemen (Imago Images/Xinhua)

IOM Comments On An Ambush Targeting Its Employees in Wadi Hadramout

Reports

Sat, 10-12-2022 09:01 PM, Aden

Hadramout (South24) 

Today, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) commented on the ambush that targeted a convoy carrying the organization's employees in Wadi Hadramout.

In a statement, the organization said: "On Friday morning, December 9, a convoy carrying our employees was ambushed by armed men, as it was traveling from Seiyun to Marib on a humanitarian mission."

The statement added: "The convoy survived the attack and none of the organization's members were injured. However, we are very sad about the killing of two security personnel who were accompanying the convoy."

The organization expressed its condolences to the families of the two soldiers.

The organization said it is currently working to "assess the ability to continue operations safely in this area."

On Friday, an armed ambush resulted in the death of two soldiers and the wounding of others from the "Hadrami Battalion" of the First Military District on "Al-Abr" international road, west of Seiyun.

Yemen's PLC member Faraj Al-Bahsani directed the security services in Wadi Hadramout to track down the perpetrators of the attack.

In a statement, the STC condemned the attack, describing it as a "terrorist operation."

No party has claimed the attack yet, which is likely to be attributed to AQAP. 

AQAP had previously kidnapped five UN employees on February 11, in the center of Abyan governorate, east of the capital city Aden.

According to "Xinhua" agency, AQAP transferred the five abductees last September outside Abyan while confronting the Southern forces.

The Southern forces had launched a large-scale operation against AQAP in the governorate on August 22, before announcing its completion later in mid-October.

Prior to that, AQAP had published a video of the employee, Akam Sofyal Anam, who was identified as the director of the "United Nations Office for Security and Safety" in Yemen.

The employee appealed to the United Nations to comply to AQAP demands for his release.

According to experts, Wadi Hadramout region is one of the main destinations for AQAP after the organization lost its strongholds in Abyan.

The First Military District, consisting of Northern brigades, is accused of providing space for the extremist organization in Wadi Hadramout, which witnessed repeated assassinations during the past period.


South24 Center

South YemenWadiHadramoutSTCAQAPFirst Military DistrictIOM