ADEN, Yemen, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni government forces launched a security operation on Sunday targeting an al-Qaeda hideout in the southeastern oil-rich province of Shabwa, a military official told Xinhua.
The raid, carried out jointly by pro-government counter-terrorism units and the Shabwa Defense Forces, targeted a suspected militant site near Ataq, the provincial capital, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The operation resulted in the arrest of a mid-level al-Qaeda commander and the death of another militant, the official said. Six soldiers were wounded during the raid and ensuing clashes.
"The captured commander was on a wanted list, and the operation was based on precise intelligence," the official added.
Shabwa and neighboring Abyan have become focal points of counter-terrorism operations since late 2022, with forces from the Southern Transitional Council and government troops jointly seeking to dismantle al-Qaeda's presence.
Despite ongoing operations, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula continues to maintain a foothold in remote areas of southern Yemen, frequently targeting security forces with improvised explosive devices, according to officials.
Yemen's protracted civil war, which began in 2014 when Houthi forces seized the capital Sanaa, has created a security vacuum that al-Qaeda has exploited. The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands and driven millions to the brink of famine, according to United Nations estimates. ■
