Lahj (South24)

A "dangerous member" of the extremist AQAP organization was killed yesterday in a security checkpoint of the Southern forces in Lahj governorate, north of the capital city Aden.

A security source told 'South24 Center' that Abdullah Hussein Al-Baydani, known as Abu Talha Al-Baydani, was killed in a gunfight.

The source explained that Al-Baydani was in possession of a number of explosive devices when he was stopped, before he began shooting at security personnel, causing the death of one of the soldiers.

The source suggested that the security forces had arrested two members who were accompanying Al-Baydani, who came from Taiz governorate in North Yemen, towards the capital city Aden.

The Southern security forces did not release any official statement yet. AQAP did not release any statements either.

In a related context, five soldiers from Abyan police were killed today by explosive devices in “Wadi Rafd” area, located between the governorates of Abyan and Shabwa, according to a security source told “South24 Center".

#BREAKING

A security source to "South24 Center": Five Abyan security personnel were killed and two others were injured in the explosion of explosive devices in “Wadi Rafad” area#south24 pic.twitter.com/4Ek13fb4rq

— South24 | English (@South24E) September 26, 2023

The explosion also injured two soldiers, one day after four soldiers from the Southern forces were killed by explosive devices targeting their military vehicle in the same area, according to the security source.

Last Sunday, 4 members of the Shabwa Defense Forces (a branch of the Southern forces) were killed in an AQAP attack with an explosive device that targeted an ambulance in Al-Musaina area in Al-Saieed district of Shabwa governorate.

Related: 4 causalities in another AQAP attack against the Southern forces in Shabwa 

AQAP, through Al-Malahim platform, claimed responsibility for the attack in Shabwa, and the attack in Abyan governorate yesterday.