SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 16 PRO-GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS IN SOUTHERN YEMEN

Fri 16 August 2024:

A suicide bomber’s deadly attack killed 16 pro-government soldiers and wounded 18 others at a military post in Yemen’s southern Abyan province, local authorities reported.

Mohamed al-Naqib, spokesperson for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), described the incident, stating that the attacker “drove a booby-trapped car into a site for the security forces” in Mudiyah district on Friday.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) took responsibility for the operation. AQAP stated that the bomber used a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device to target the military post.

A History of Turmoil

Formed in 2009 from the union of Al-Qaeda’s Yemeni and Saudi factions, AQAP capitalized on the chaos of Yemen’s ongoing war to expand its influence. The group has executed numerous attacks in southern Yemen, frequently targeting STC-aligned forces. In a previous attack in March, AQAP claimed the lives of two fighters in the same province.

Earlier this year, AQAP announced the death of its leader Khalid Batarfi, who was succeeded by Saad al-Awlaki. The group continues to exploit the nine-year conflict between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition to reinforce its position in Yemen.

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Struggle for Autonomy

The STC, although supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis, pursues independence in southern regions that united with the rest of Yemen in 1990. The Saudi-led coalition’s offensive against the Houthis began in March 2015, marking a protracted conflict that led to a major humanitarian crisis.

Despite an April 2022 ceasefire agreement between the warring factions, the ceasefire expired in October of the same year. However, significant fighting has paused due to ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. AQAP’s continued attacks underscore concerns about enduring violence during this fragile period of relative peace.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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