Al-Qaeda seizes key Yemeni towns

Pro-Hadi forces in Yemen were overpowered by Al-Qaeda fighters in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) capturing the towns of Zinjibar and Ja’ar from the pro-government forces.

The fighters have now consolidated their grip on the territory in southern Yemen after seizing the towns.

The AQAP fighters launched an offensive on the towns at dawn on Wednesday, local officials said.

“The attack had been expected and that AQAP fighters had been planning to take over Abyan governorate, where both towns are located, since pro-government forces liberated it from Houthi rebels in July,” Al-Khader Haidan, a leader within the popular committee forces in Zinjibar district, said.

“Abyan is a stronghold of AQAP and we already informed the authorities in Aden to send us military reinforcements, but we did not get enough support from the Yemeni army.

“That is why the AQAP fighters took over the two main districts in Abyan easily.” He added.

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