ADEN, Yemen, Feb 24 (NNN-SABA) – Yemeni security forces, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), launched a large military operation against al-Qaeda, in the country’s southern province of Abyan on Saturday.
The newly-recruited security troops, backed by the UAE’s forces operating in Yemen, as part of the Saudi-led coalition, began an anti-terror military operation against key al-Qaeda hideouts, in the southern province of Abyan, the local security source said.
He said that, several hideouts of the al-Qaeda militants, located in Omeiran Valley of Abyan’s Mudiyah district, were heavily attacked by the UAE-backed forces from different directions.
“After receiving information, the security troops, backed by armoured vehicles, moved to storm Omeiran Valley that contains a number of al-Qaeda hideouts and other training camps,” the local source said.
War planes of the UAE armed forces intervened to support the forces on-ground by launching several air strikes against al-Qaeda hideouts, as well as, some arms caches belonging to the group.
A government official said that, “the anti-terror operation, mainly aims at seizing full control over all hideouts of the al-Qaeda group in Omeiran Valley and kicking the terrorists out of the area.”
The Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network, mostly operating in eastern and southern provinces, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country.
Provinces of Abyan and Shabwa, former main strongholds of AQAP, have also been the scene of sporadic attacks or heavy clashes between UAE-backed security forces and al-Qaeda militants, from time to time.
The AQAP, seen by the United States as the global terror network’s most dangerous branch, has exploited years of deadly conflict between Yemen’s government and Houthi rebels, to expand its presence, especially in the south-eastern provinces.– NNN-SABA
