The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch on Friday took over
several government buildings, including two state- run banks, in the
southern province of Abyan,
a provincial government official told
Xinhua.
"Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula defeated government forces on
Friday following fierce clashes in Zinjibar, the provincial capital
city of Abyan, and controlled almost the whole strategic city including
the government facilities," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"They (AQAP) seized the headquarters of the General Security Camp,
the building of Civil Status, and two state-owned banks of Al-Ahli and
the Agricultural Cooperative Credit Bank," he said, adding that they
also seized several privately-owned companies.
He also affirmed that fighters of AQAP are now controlling almost
the whole city of Zinjibar and setting up their own checkpoints at all
three entrances of the city.
A doctor at Al-Razi Hospital said they had received one body of
al-Qaida militants, while 15 others, including three citizens, were
sent to the hospital with serious injuries.
Meanwhile, an eyewitness told Xinhua that Yemeni fighter jets were
striking Khanfar Mountain in Jaar city, which is a stronghold of AQAP
and located nearby Zinjibar city.
AQAP has launched many sporadic attacks on Zinjibar in an attempt to
take over it since the eruption of the four-month-long anti-government
protests aiming at ousting Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has
been in power since 1978.
Abyan, some 480 km south of the capital Sanaa, is a key stronghold
of resurgent AQAP which has carried out frequent attacks against the
Yemeni security and military personnel since 2009. Xinhua
