Eight Yemeni citizens were killed and 18 others wounded including 6 policemen in Zinzubar town of Abyan province in the south of Yemen on Thursday, said the governor of Abyan Ahmad al-Maysari. He said that among the wounded were the assistant chief of police Colonel Mohammed al-Dobji and five policemen from the central security forces in Abyan.
AlMaysari affirmed that some saboteur insurgents affiliated to the so called Tariq al-Fadhli launched an attack using RBG’s Stella missiles and machine guns at the central security forces and randomly at the neighboring places killing and wounding a number of citizens.
Al-Maysari also told 26 of September website of the military forces that elements of the so called the southern movement started a sit in in front of al-fadhli’s house opposite to the old governmental complex and that the authorities allowed them to continue their sit in.
“However after they had finished their activity they headed towards the central security camp and announced through their loudspeakers they demanded to release some prisoners from the prison by force,” Said al-Maysari.
He added that when the security forces tried to stop their attempt to break into the central security forces camp they fired an RBG at the Governorate’s headquarter while some other militants barracking in al-Fadhli’s house fired RBG’s, missiles and other explosives and machine guns randomly at the security forces and citizens killing 8 people and wounding 18 others. He added that the insurgents burnt a police vehicle.
The governor al-Maysari who was newly elected affirmed that the insurgents caused damages at the governorate’s building and at the neighboring houses stressing that the security forces during its clashes with the insurgents never targeted any citizens. He confirmed that all casualties were victims of the aggressive military attacks launched by what he called the militant elements affiliated to the Southern movement and the affiliates of the so called Tariq al-Fadhli.
Another security source told Yemen Observer that 6 of the killed were among the insurgents affiliated to al-Fadhli. He added that the battle between the security forces and between the insurgents have stopped at 4 afternoon. He said that al-Fadhli’s home is surrounded by the security and military forces and that the forces have been tracking al-Fadhli and his affiliates down.
A local source said that all communication through mobile phones to the province of Abyan are suspended since 12 noon on Thursday.
Tariq al-Fadhli is one of the commanders of the so called Arab Afghan groups that had took part in Jihadists fights in Afghanistan. He announced joining the southern movement last month.
58 militants had been detained in a major offensive launched by Yemeni security forces on March 28 through April 15. The operation focused on the town of Ja’ar, the capital of Abyan province, in the south of the country. The hunt for the militants ended in the town of Ja’ar after security forces tracked down the militants from the mountain regions, including Hutat, 18-30 kilometers outside of Ja’ar. The clashes erupted in Ja’ar, northeast of the port city of Aden, after police conducted a search operation for wanted members of several jihadist groups, mainly focusing on the Aden Abyan army affiliated to al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda had also announced supporting the southern movement to liberate what it called the south of Yemen from oppressors and to establish an Islamic state.
The leader of al-Qaeda organization in the Arab Peninsula Abo Basir, Naser al-Wahishi announced the al-Qaeda Organization support for the Yemeni southern movement that opposes president Saleh.
AL-Wahaishi in a recorded statement published on the internet last May said that what has been happening in Lahj, Abyan, and Dalea’ provinces was unjustified and cannot be accepted by any person a matter that imposed on al-Qaeda to support the people of the south.
In his statement entitled ‘to our people in the south’ said “what you have been calling for is your right that was guaranteed for you by your religion therefore oppression should not be practiced under the pretext of protecting unity.”
He added that al-Qaeda organization agrees on what the southern movement has been practicing to curb oppression being practiced against them and against others and agrees on their acts for combating the regime and defending themselves.
However the leader of al-Qaeda organization in the Arab peninsula reminded the people of the south Yemen that they had experienced all manners adding that they had experienced the communist regime , stressing that there would be no justice or freedom unless under the shade of Islam. This came after the joining of Tariq al-Fadhli, a leading figure of Islamic group of al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda expert said that this recording was no surprise after the announcement of al-Fadhli of joining southern movement. He said that this was an attempt from al-Fadhli to seek shelter for the remaining cells of al-Qaeda. He said that this would give al-Qaeda a justification to continue its terrorists attacks on the country and reorganize itself after their great loss they had due to the frequent arrests and deaths they had by security forces.