Top leaders of Al Qaeda in Yemen likely killed in new raids

By Nasser Arrabyee/24/12/2009

More than 30 Al Qaeda operatives including top leaders were killed when warplanes bombed a hideout for Al Qaeda in Shabwah province, an official statement said Thursday.


The statement said the raid targeted an Al Qaeda meeting chaired by Nasser Al Wahayshi and the Saudi Saeed Al Shihri, the top leaders of the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

No confirmation yet that the top leaders Al Wahayshi and Al Shihri were certainly killed, today's operation.


The statement which was issued by the country's highest security committee, said at 4 30 am today Thursday, the security forces implemented an anticipatory strike against Al Qaeda in Rafdh area in Al Saeed district in Shabwah province south east of the country.

More than 30 Al Qaeda operatives, Yemenis and non-Yemenis, were killed in the operation, said the statement.

The terrorists were planning for taking retaliatory acts for the last Thursday's operation in Al Majalah in Abyan, said the statement .



The security committee, said the strikes and hunt down would continue until the terrorists are permanently eradicated.

The committee also warned Yemeni citizens from providing any kind of cooperation to Al Qaeda elements.


Last Thursday at dawn also, Yemeni security forces supported with warplanes, implemented three simultaneous operations against Al Qaeda in three different places in Yemen killing more than 24 terrorists including Pakistanis, Saudis, and Egyptians and five more foreigners with unknown identities. More than 30 Al Qaeda operatives were arrested in those operations.