Aden: At least five suspected al-Qaeda militants including a local leader were killed in a drone strike near the southern Yemeni city of Jaar.
According to security sources, a drone, likely American, fired several rockets at a group of Al-Qaeda members northwest of Jaar killing all of them.
Speaking on the condition of the anonymity, the security official said said that “several bodies” had been identified, including one belonging to Nader Al-Shadadi, Al-Qaeda’s leader in Jaar.
Witnesses said, meanwhile, that hundreds of Jaar’s residents, both men and women, gathered in front of the headquarters of the Resistance Committees in Jaar and fired into the air air to celebrate Shadadi’s death.
In May, the army launched an all out offensive against Al-Qaeda in the southern of province of Abyan, forcing them to retreat from major strongholds including Jaar and Abyan’s capital Zinjibar.
The campaign was backed by US drones which in recent months have been deployed in strikes against Al-Qaeda targets in the south and east of the country.
Al-Qaeda took advantage of the weakness of Yemen’s central government in an uprising last year against now ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, seizing large swathes of territory across the south.
But after the month-long offensive, most militants fled to the more lawless desert regions of the east.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription