Yemeni Army Regains Control of Towns Turned into Al Qaeda Strongholds
Published at
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(SANAA, Yemen) — Al Qaeda militants were driven from two towns in Yemen on Tuesday, a major coup for the government, which has dealt with the rising influence of the terrorist group.
Yemen’s southern province has been a major stronghold for al Qaeda since the uprising known as the Arab Spring unsettled the region early last year.
However, the Yemeni army has recently stepped up attacks against terrorist fighters and by early Tuesday regained control of the town of Jaar as most al Qaeda gunmen fled rather than confront an overwhelming force.
Hours later, a Yemeni general said that the town of Zinjibar was also in the military’s hands, proclaiming “al Qaeda fighters have fled the city after the noose was tightened on them.”
According to the army, at least 26 al Qaeda militants were killed in the two operations, while four Yemeni soldiers also died.
Al Qaeda later released a statement that insisted it left the towns “not under military pressure but rather to prevent the further bloodshed of Muslims.”
It was exactly a month ago that Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi ordered a major operation to take back towns and cities lost to al Qaeda in the country’s southern province.
The U.S., which supports efforts against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is headquartered in Yemen, has also lent its support in the way of equipment and training.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio