Monday, June 25, 2012

10 al-Qaida members escaped from Yemeni jail in Aden

ADEN, Yemen, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Ten suspected members of the al-Qaida terrorist group escaped from a heavily-guarded jail in the southern port city of Aden Sunday, a Yemeni security official said.

The escapees were confirmed belonging to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and managed to escape from the central jail in Mansoura district in Aden, the local security official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"The ten jailed militants escaped from the political security prison in Mansoura. Some convicted on terrorism charges and militant attacks against domestic facilities," the official said.

"Initial information show that they fled after a short overnight shootout with the guards around the prison," he added.

The country's Defense Ministry said in a brief text message obtained by Xinhua that "a full investigation into the escaping ten inmates from the Mansoura's jail would be launched soon."

However, the ministry did not mention how the jailed al-Qaida members escaped from the heavily-guarded prison.

On Friday, the Yemeni security forces managed to capture a leading member of the al-Qaida terrorist group suspected of links to a suicide bombing attack that killed a high-ranking military commander earlier this week in Aden.

Combating al-Qaida militants in restive south is one of several challenges confronting current President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has promised to launch a national dialogue to settle disputes between all political factions. Also, he has sworn to uproot the Yemeni branch of al-Qaida.

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