Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Yemeni airstrike targets alleged AQAP members, kills two
An airstrike in Yemen's Abyan province killed two alleged al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula members -- at least according to Yemen's interior ministry. But there are reports in the Yemeni press (عربي) that the bombing actually targeted members of the Southern Movement.
The interior ministry says the attack was carried out by the Yemeni air force (it's probably keen to dispel any rumors of U.S. involvement). Security officials say the victims were AQAP members, plotting to attack targets on the Arabian Sea (a claim we've heard before).
Anti-AQAP operations in this part of Yemen are increasingly common: Security forces arrested three suspected AQAP members last month in Marib province, for example, just north of Abyan. Officials routinely insist that AQAP is concentrated in Marib, Shabwa and Abyan provinces.
And Abyan, you'll remember, was also the site of a deadly raid in December; Yemeni helicopter gunships reportedly killed as many as 50 civilians. The raid turned into a propaganda victory for AQAP, which held a rally in the province several days later. Local residents still want the government to condemn the attack and to promise no further raids.
So yesterday's airstrike -- even though early reports say it didn't cause any civilian casualties -- could provide useful propaganda fodder for AQAP.
For updates throughout the day, follow us on 
Twitter, 
Facebook or 
RSS!
Categories: Regional News, War and Terrorism, Yemen
Tags: Abyan province, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Southern Movement, Yemeni separatists
No Comments
Post a Comment