ADEN, Yemen, Sept 29 (NNN-SABA) – Yemeni pro-government forces, launched a large-scale operation yesterday, against hideouts of al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch, in the southern province of Abyan, a military official said.
Joint units of pro-government forces targeted al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) strongholds, in the Mudiyah district, the official, who declined to be named, said.
Three soldiers were killed in the clashes, the official said, adding that, the militants used drones, alongside ground attacks. He said, several AQAP fighters were killed or wounded, without providing figures. The remaining militants retreated into nearby mountains.
AQAP has exploited Yemen’s civil war and weak security, to entrench itself in the south. In late 2022, the government, in coordination with the Southern Transitional Council, launched a counter-terrorism campaign in Abyan. Still, officials say the group remains active, carrying out bombings and attacks on security forces.
Yemen has been in conflict since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa, forcing the internationally-recognised government into exile.– NNN-SABA
