Bomb attack injures three pro-government militiamen in southern Yemen

map byEvan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com)

ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least three pro-government militiamen were wounded in a bomb explosion in Yemen's southern province of Abyan on Tuesday night, a security official told Xinhua Wednesday.
The bomb went off outside the pro-government militiamen headquarters in Jaar town in Abyan province, injuring at least three people at the scene, the local security official said on condition of anonymity.

"A huge blast took place near a building held by pro-government militiamen in Abyan. The building was partially damaged. However, it caused no loss of life and only three people were injured," the security source said.

Witnesses told Xinhua that the two-floor building in Jaar town "was hit by an explosive that seemed large" and "small damage" was caused.

The bomb attack was perpetrated by attackers of the al-Qaida terrorist group, according to local officials.

The al-Qaida militants frequently use improvised explosive devices, including roadside bombs, against the security forces, pro-government militiamen and intelligence officials in southern regions.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, known locally as Ansar al- Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), took advantage of a political upheaval in 2011 in Yemen to take over several towns of the southern restive regions.

The militants were targeted by Yemeni security authorities after a U.S.-backed offensive launched in the southern Abyan province months routed the militants out of the strongholds that they had controlled for nearly a year.

The Yemeni government along with the United states and oil-rich Saudi Arabia has beefed up anti-terror operation since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February 2012.

from XINHUA
2013-02-13 16:09:59

Posted in: Abyan, Abyan Governorate, ADEN, al-Qaida, alqaeda, AQAP, Saudi Arabia, Yemen