Yemeni army takes over al-Qaida stronghold in restive south

Yemen conflict map by Evan Centanni

ADEN, Yemen, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni army managed on Tuesday to recapture the al-Qaida-held town of Jaar in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, a significant victory against the terrorist group after more than one month fierce battles, the defense ministry said.

The army forces backed by pro-government militiamen have managed to take over Jaar town from the al-Qaida militants after fierce fighting that forced the terrorists to flee their sites into other hideouts in Abyan, the country's defense ministry said in a text message.

"Scores of terrorist fled Jaar with their weapons and vehicles when the army troops stormed the town at dawn form different directions," the ministry said.

A local resident told Xinhua anonymously "the al-Qaida militants distributed leaflets in which they requested pardon and forgiveness from the people in Jaar."

A military official said that about 25 al-Qaida militants were killed in the fighting that took place in central Jaar at dawn Tuesday.

"Troops of the 201st and 119th Armored Brigades are now taking control over the whole town and celebrate the great victory against the terrorist group in Abyan," the military official said anonymously.

Jaar town, some 30 km to the north of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, has been under al-Qaida's control since May 2011 and is one of al-Qaida's last strongholds in Abyan.

The Yemeni government troops have waged an intensive military campaign, with support of the United States and Yemen's oil-rich neighbor Saudi Arabia, against several bastions of the al-Qaida terrorist group in Abyan province since last month.

The offensive aimed at recapturing several southern towns and cities seized by the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula during last year's political chaos.
2012-06-12 15:38:58

Posted in: Abyan, Abyan Governorate, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaida, alqaeda, AQAP, Yemen, Zinjibar