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| Map by Evan Centanni. (www.polgeonow.com) |
Security soldiers managed to capture a leading member of the al- Qaida terrorist group suspected of links to a suicide bombing attack that killed a high-ranking military commander earlier this week in Aden, the local police officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
"Sami Dayyan, the captured al-Qaida leader, was behind assassinating Major General Salim Qatan, the commander of military forces in southern regions last Monday. He masterminded and planned the suicide operation," the police officer said.
"Two of his bodyguards were also arrested while they were attempting to sneak into Aden by a pick-up truck filled with explosives and suicide belts," he added.
Last Monday, the al-Qaida group claimed responsibility for assassinating Major General Salim Qatan, the commander of military forces in south Yemen.
The group also warned that more suicide attacks would follow if intensified air strikes and military campaigns against the al- Qaida hideouts across the southern regions do not stop.
Yemen's military presses a withering assault aiming at quelling a resurgent branch of al-Qaida which has increased its attacks on both Western and government targets in the Arabian Peninsula state.
The month-long army offensive forced the al-Qaida militants to flee several bastions in the country's restive southern and eastern provinces which they captured during last year's political turmoil.
The al-Qaida militants remain in control of the smaller town of Mahfad in Abyan and other cities in neighboring Shabwa province.
Fighting al-Qaida militants in restive south is one of several challenges confronting current President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has promised to launch a national dialogue to settle disputes between all political factions. Also, he has sworn to uproot the Yemeni branch of al-Qaida.
from Xinhua
Editor: Deng Shasha
2012-06-22 21:52:09
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