South Yemen: 14 Soldiers From the Security Belt Killed and Injured in Abyan

عربي

Today, 5 soldiers were killed and 9 others injured in an attack that targeted a Southern military command convoy in the governorate of Abyan, east of Aden.

Local sources told "South24" that the Security Belt commander Brigadier General Abdullatif Al-Sayed survived an assassination ambush by an explosive vehicle. 

According to the sources, the ambush killed and injured 14 among those who had accompanied Al-Sayed. Moreover, the Southern forces declared that 3 of the attackers including the driver of the explosive vehicle were killed.

The operation took place in an area which connects Jaar city and the Zinjibar city, the capital of Abyan.

According to the media of the Southern Forces, Al-Sayed vowed to pursue terrorists. He added that "these cowardly acts won't deter us from doing our duties".

No party has yet claimed responsibility of the attack against the Southern forces in Abyan. However, sources affiliated with the "Security Belt" told "South24" that the AQAP is more likely to stand behind the attack.

The sources reported that AQAP attempted to assert its existence in Abyan by carrying out operations which target the Southern forces from time to time.

Over past years, the Southern forces in Abyan sustained multiple attacks, some of which were claimed by the extremist organization.  

Areas under the Yemeni government control in the governorates of Abyan and Hadramout witnessed two kidnapping operations in February and March against international organizations employees.

In mid February, unknown armed men, who are believed to be AQAP affiliates, kidnapped 6 employees including a Bulgarian in Abyan's Mudiyah.

On March 6th, two employees affiliated with "Doctors Without Borders" were kidnapped in the First Military District-controlled Wadi Hadramout

In response, the STC called to employ its forces to prevent occurring such kidnapping operations and counter what it dubbed as "the extremist terrorist organizations"