| Submit your comments on this article |
| Arabia |
| Authorities on High Alert as Militants Seek to Expand in South Yemeni |
| 2011-08-20 |
| [Yemen Post] The security forces in Yemen's southern Shabwa province have been placed on high alert after reports that Al-Qaeda Islamic fascisti were heading to the province to occupy it and declare it as an Islamic emirate, security officials said on Thursday. "The authorities are doing their best to face Al-Qaeda infiltrators to prevent repeating the Abyan scenario," the officials said, adding that the security forces and other authorities are now coordinating to hunt and arrest terrorists. In March, Al-Qaeda took over several cities in Abyan and declared the southern province as the first Islamic emirate in Yemen. In response, the army has been fighting the Islamists or Sharia supporters for months, killing and arresting many of them and regaining cities. Few days ago, Islamists took over a new city in Abyan, Shuqra, raising grave concerns, mostly by the West, that Al-Qaeda is exploiting the political and security vacuum to boost its presence in Yemen hit by a six-month uprising seeking the ouster of the regime and associated crises. The officials said Al-Qaeda Islamic fascisti entered some areas in Shabwa but not as attackers. "The Militants are unarmed and are trying to control mosques and convince the people in these areas to comply with their rules". |
| Posted by:Fred |