The shootout occurred after soldiers of the anti-terrorism squad launched a storming campaign against a hideout of the al- Qaida group in Jaar town, in southern Abyan province, the local military official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
A group of al-Qaida militants hiding in a residential compound opened fired at the anti-terrorism soldiers, sparking an exchange of fire that lasted for about 13 minutes, the official said.
The government soldiers tried to capture the five al-Qaida suspects without any casualties, but shot them when they resisted arrest, killing two and capturing three others, he added.
During Wednesday's raid, the soldiers found three computers and documents showing that the suspects were involved in two terrorist attacks recently against security forces in Abyan province, according to the military official.
Elsewhere in southern Yemen, gunmen fired at a police post in the port city of Aden, injuring two soldiers. A few hours later, unknown attackers threw a hand grenade at another post, but no casualties were reported.
The al-Qaida militants, known locally as Ansar al-Sharia ( Partisans of Islamic Law), were recently either captured or wanted by the security authorities after a U.S.-backed offensive launched in the southern Abyan province three months ago, which routed the militants out of their strongholds that they had controlled for nearly a year.
Combating al-Qaida network in the impoverished Arab country remains one of the biggest challenges confronting Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has promised to reform the army, restore security and uproot the resurgent Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
from XINHUA
2012-09-05 16:57:02
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