Abyan (South24) 

---

Today, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for an armed attack against the Southern forces in Abyan governorate (east of the capital city Aden) last Monday evening.

AQAP said in a statement released by "Al-Malahem" media platform that its members attacked a site of the Southern forces in Mudiya district, in the center of Abyan.

AQAP claimed that its members had seized the "Madiq site" in Wadi Oemran after storming it, killing 7 Southern soldiers and wounding 9 others.

The statement said that AQAP militants seized two military vehicles, a 14.7-caliber machine gun, a PK machine gun, in addition to an RPG launcher and ammunition.

AQAP released pictures showing aspects of the operation and the weapons that it said its members had obtained from the Southern soldiers at the military site.

Yesterday, the Southern forces announced that they had repelled an attack carried out by AQAP in Wadi Oemran, Mudiya district.

The Southern forces spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Al-Naqeeb, said that 5 Southern soldiers were killed and 4 others were wounded in the attack.

The spokesperson said that AQAP militants infiltrated from the Al-Bayda governorate, which is controlled by the Houthi militia, which borders the governorates of Abyan and Shabwa.