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| map by Evan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com) |
An al-Qaida suicide attacker slammed his explosives-packed vehicle into a post run by pro-government militiamen in Luader town in Abyan province, leaving at least 12 people killed and more than 16 others injured, the local security official said on condition of anonymity.
"Among the dead so far identified are two leaders of the anti- al-Qaida militiamen. Several people were also seriously injured in the car bombing," the security source said.
"The booby-trapped car approached the post used by the pro- government militiamen and exploded, causing a massive blast in the region," he added.
Local residents, meanwhile, said the blast took place near a military checkpoint manned by the pro-government militiamen and was followed by heavy gunfire.
A tribal chief said that about 12 members of the anti-al-Qaida militiamen were killed and 16 others injured in the bombing.
The car bomb attack was perpetrated by a suicide attacker of the al-Qaida terrorist group, according to local officials.
The al-Qaida militants use improvised explosive devices, roadside bombs and suicide attacks 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 Abyan province months ago routed the militants out of their strongholds that they had controlled for nearly a year.
The Yemeni government along with the United States and oil-rich Saudi Arabia have beefed up anti-terror operation since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February 2012.
from XINHUA
013-03-05 00:16:39
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