Al-Qaida commander captured by security forces in southern Yemen

map by Evan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com)

ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni security forces on Thursday detained a high-level commander of the Yemen-based al- Qaida wing in the southern province of Abyan, the state-run Saba news agency reported.

"A high-level al-Qaida commander in southern region, Sulman Hassan Murshid, has been captured in Abyan during an operation by security forces," the agency said in a brief text message obtained by Xinhua.

"Sulman was involved in several terrorist operations in Abyan," the statement said.

A military official told Xinhua anonymously that "the captured al-Qaida leader conducted roadside bombings against security forces and was responsible for moving explosive devices into the neighboring southern province of Aden."

"The security force detained several other al-Qaida suspects and seized weapons during the operation in Abyan," the military source said.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot has exploited Yemen's year- long unrest and controlled several southern cities for more than one year before they were driven out by a U.S.-backed army offensive.

In June, Yemen's military officials announced seizing al-Qaida' s last bastion in the country's troubled south following the military offensive. However, local military and anti-terrorism experts said the Yemeni al-Qaida branch remained a major threat to the impoverished Arab country.

from XINHUA
2012-11-30 01:51:38

Posted in: Abyan, ADEN, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaida, alqaeda, AQAP, Yemen