The Yemen Observer reports that the Yemeni authorities sought not hudna with local Islamist militants, but unconditional surrender. According to the June 28 edition, "After days of mediation talks with al-Jihad militants in Abyan failed to secure their surrender, a joint military strike spearheaded by Yemeni Special Forces on Wednesday is believed to have wiped out the group. Military forces are now sweeping the remote region of Hatat in Abyan for any residual holdouts." Six were killed and eleven captured in the raid.
This is not the first time, however, that Yemeni authorities have dealt with the group in less than peaceful means. The Yemen Observer euphemistically notes, "Authorities in Abyan first dispersed the Jihad camp some time ago after efforts at reconciliation. The militants may have regrouped, however, to once again disrupt security and stability in the area." But the report goes on to describe how Yemen "experienced a period of peace" with the "Islamic Army" in the past: "after the execution of Abu Hassan Al-Mehdar, leader of the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army in 1999, which was responsible for killing several foreign tourists in 1998. The newly formed Al-Jihad militant group is believed to be an offshoot of the dissolved terrorist organization."
As for the locals, they also had nothing but praise for the government's actions to end terrorism: "Area residents interviewed on Yemen TV said they were glad the group is gone, because it was a threat to their safety."
The Yemen Observer describes the carnage recently wrought by the group, calling itself "the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army". "The group burst into activity last Saturday when it attacked a military ambulance delivering humanitarian aid in the area, killing one and wounding six. All the casualties in the initial attack, including a doctor, five assistants and the vehicle's driver, were military personnel." More interestingly, "Khalid Mohammed Ali Abdul-Nabi... one of the militant group's leaders, is an 'Afghan-Arab' who returned to Yemen from Afghanistan before 9/11," the newspaper reveals.
This is not the first time, however, that Yemeni authorities have dealt with the group in less than peaceful means. The Yemen Observer euphemistically notes, "Authorities in Abyan first dispersed the Jihad camp some time ago after efforts at reconciliation. The militants may have regrouped, however, to once again disrupt security and stability in the area." But the report goes on to describe how Yemen "experienced a period of peace" with the "Islamic Army" in the past: "after the execution of Abu Hassan Al-Mehdar, leader of the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army in 1999, which was responsible for killing several foreign tourists in 1998. The newly formed Al-Jihad militant group is believed to be an offshoot of the dissolved terrorist organization."
As for the locals, they also had nothing but praise for the government's actions to end terrorism: "Area residents interviewed on Yemen TV said they were glad the group is gone, because it was a threat to their safety."
The Yemen Observer describes the carnage recently wrought by the group, calling itself "the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army". "The group burst into activity last Saturday when it attacked a military ambulance delivering humanitarian aid in the area, killing one and wounding six. All the casualties in the initial attack, including a doctor, five assistants and the vehicle's driver, were military personnel." More interestingly, "Khalid Mohammed Ali Abdul-Nabi... one of the militant group's leaders, is an 'Afghan-Arab' who returned to Yemen from Afghanistan before 9/11," the newspaper reveals.