Abyan (South24)

Today, the pro-Southern Transitional Council (STC) Southern Armed Forces announced they had thwarted an attack by the extremist Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) organization in Abyan Governorate, east of the capital, Aden.

According to a press release by the Southern forces' website, they thwarted an infiltration attempt by AQAP members on the outskirts of Wadi Oemran in Abyan Governorate.

A military source told ’Deraa Aljanoob‘ website that AQAP members attacked the positions of the Sixth Brigade in Wadi Oemran in Mudiyah district, but the attack failed under the fire of the Southern forces.

The source indicated that the infiltration operation took place simultaneously with a drone bombardment, which led to the death of a soldier from the Southern forces and injury to another.

This is the second deadly AQAP attack against Southern forces in less than a week, after a similar attack took place in Shabwa Governorate last Wednesday.

Related: Two soldiers killed in new AQAP attack against Southern forces in Shabwa 

In that attack, in which mortar shells and RPG shells were used, two soldiers from the Shabwa Defense Forces (a branch of the Southern forces) were killed and two were wounded, in the Al-Musainah area of the Upper Saieed district.

AQAP officially claimed responsibility for the attack through the Al-Malahim platform, the media outlet of the extremist organization.

Today, a local source told 'South24 Center' that AQAP members attacked ’Al-Qalaa‘ site of the Shabwa Defense Forces in Al-Musainah area with mortar shells. However, there were no casualties.

On July 10, the US State Department released an updated Yemen travel advisory “to reflect additional information on terrorism and security”, in which it warned its citizens, especially Yemeni-Americans with dual citizenship, against traveling to the country.

“Other terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Islamic State affiliates, continue to plot and conduct attacks in Yemen – most notably in al-Bayda, Abyan, and Shabwah governorates," the State Department said.

“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting public sites, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities,” it added.

The STC has accused the Iran-backed Houthi group, which controls Al-Bayda Governorate, of coordinating and cooperating with AQAP against its forces. The STC has called for international support to help it counter-terrorism.