Yemen: Al-Qaida new tactics to counter military campaign in Abyan

Mohammad Chazwan, for Yemenat
 
Although the military alert, a number of al-Qaeda affiliates were seen by witnesses Saturday afternoon in Amain, the closest area to Lawder of Abyan, on-board four motorcycles. According to sources, flags of al-Qaeda were fluttered above proudly, then a suspected car followed the convoy of bicycles minutes after the disappearance of bicycles from the public eye.

According to local sources, al-Qaida operatives suddenly appear and disappear. The role of intelligence services is completely absent and almost they rely on the narratives of witnesses, such as the herders of sheep and bee.

The last Friday « s operation of al-Qaeda suspects, which was carried out from a nearby stage, provided a new tactic featured with their confidence of the absence of counter-attacks, in contrary with previous lightning operations when planting improvised explosive devices for any purpose was only controlled remotely without revealing itself.

In the first attack of Friday, al-Qaeda suspects planted an explosive device and centered near the ambush targeting a military convoy consisting of an armored vehicle, two tankers of water and a military car. While the blast confused the soldiers, they were surprised with a hail of bullets, rocket-propelled grenades and chants of “Allah is the greatest”. Then, Al-Qaeda fighters left the scene through rough roads among reefs and mountains where it would easy to be caught up by the close army forces stationed in the vicinity of those areas between the Amain and Amsurah.

But al-Qaeda was not far away and as soon as getting information of a proposed visit of the commander of the brigade camp “111” and the Secretary-General of the Local Council of Lawder to the scene, it decided to implement a subsequent operation with no fear of the military alert.

Indeed, it targeted the official convoy only after a few hours, killing a soldier and injuring 5 including the commander of the brigade camp “111”, two soldiers and two passers-by. Local analysts al-Qaeda told “Yemenat” that, despite the strikes carried out by the army with the help of US, al-Qaeda has not suffered any mentionable losses. And this helped the militants to re-arrange their ranks.

» Local sources linked with security leaders in Abyan said there are preparations for military operations in Lawder, Mudyiah and parts of the outskirts of Shabwa where al-Qaeda cells believed to exist. The campaign also will target some areas in Jaar directorate.

According to the sources, the prepared operations would be similar to the former operations carried out in the near directorate of Mudyiah.

Al-Qaeda militants seen are young men represented the lowest rank of al-Qaeda organization, whereas leaders of the middle and high ranks have not been seen, witnesses said.

« Since last Monday, military began enhance reinventions of its forces in the towns of Zinjibar and Jaar of Abyan province.

The troops buildup creep towards the towns of Lawder and Mudyiah where previous military-security campaign has been stationing about two months ago.

The military campaign including additional troops with tanks and armored vehicles came after leak of information that al-Qaeda fighters planned to carry lightning terrorist operations targeting military and security patrols.

Both Lawder and Mudyiah experienced a relative lull during the past two months after fierce clashes between government troops and al-Qaeda affiliates, during which the government launched heavy weapons and air raids. However, the government reports have not named al-Qaeda deaths.