Shabwa (South24) 

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On Tuesday, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility on a missile attack against the strategic military camp "Marra" in Shabwa governorate, South Yemen.

The extremist organization released a statement on Al-Malahem platform saying: “We targeted the Marra camp in Shabwa with a number of missiles.”

The statement claimed that the targeting coincided with the arrival of US military forces to the camp.

A source in the Marra camp told "South24 Center" that explosive projectiles had already fallen kilometers away from the Marra camp.

The source suggested that the projectiles were Katyusha missiles that AQAP had previously used to target Balhaf gas facility in Shabwa last October.

No official statement has been issued yet from the Shabwa Defense Forces or the Southern Giants Brigades regarding this attack.

The Marra Camp is the largest camp in Shabwa governorate, located west of the city of Ataq in a naturally heavily fortified mountainous circle. The camp was built during the era of the former state of South Yemen.

The camp played an important role in the war against AQAP and pro-Islah forces during the recent period, in addition to the Houthi militia.

A few days ago, the Shabwa Defense Forces published video confessions from an AQAP cell that revealed the arrival of drones and Katyusha missiles from Marib governorate to AQAP in Shabwa.

Related: AQAP cell reveals involvement of Houthis in financing its activities

The Houthi militia controls vast areas of Marib. While forces loyal to the internationally recognized Yemeni government are present in the governorate center and gas resources.