Saudi Arabia Condemns Terrorist Attack in Yemen’s Abyan

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack that targeted a security point in the Ahwar district of the Abyan governorate in the Republic of Yemen, “and led to the death and injury of some security belt members.”

In a statement, the ministry affirmed, “Saudi Arabia’s total rejection of all terrorist acts targeting the security services and stability in the region.”

The Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed the Kingdom’s sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the martyrs, and its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured, and the security and stability of the Yemeni government and people.

11 Yemeni security forces were killed on Tuesday morning after an al-Qaeda attack targeting a security checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan.

The sources told that militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda attacked a security checkpoint on the main road in the “Ahwar” district in Abyan province.

Muhammed al-Naqib, a spokesman for the Southern Transitional Council forces, told Xinhua that the “terrorist” attack killed 11 members of the “Security Belt” forces and wounded others.

“The attack also killed 6 al-Qaeda terrorists,” he added.

The spokesman pointed out that “terrorist elements from al-Qaeda came on board many cars, and launched an attack with various weapons on the security barrier.”

He explained that “the security force at the checkpoint dealt with the situation, and was able to eliminate all the six attackers, who were terrorists, and took custody of the (cars) they used.”

According to the statement, the attack resulted in the killing of the commander of the first battalion in the “First Brigade Anti-Terrorism”, Yasser Nasser Shaye, along with a number of his companions, and the injury of several members of the security point.

Before that, a source in the security of Abyan province told that al-Qaeda militants attacked a security checkpoint on the main coastal road in the coastal “Ahwar” district, with medium and light weapons, which resulted in an initial toll, killing 7 security personnel and more than 10 other injuries.

On August 23, the Southern Transitional Council, which calls for secession, deployed its forces in large areas of Abyan without a fight, after an agreement with government forces.

The forces of the Transitional Council currently control the most important cities and most areas of Abyan governorate.

Al-Qaeda has been active in remote areas of Abyan governorate since 2011 and carries out attacks from time to time against the military and security forces in the governorate.