Al Qaeda military leader killed along with six other operatives in air raid

By Nasser Arrabyee/16/01/2010

Yemen has said the war it is launching against Al Qaeda is not a war on behalf of any other country but to defend its supreme interests.

In a statement released late Friday by the Ministry of Interior, the government said the cooperation between Yemen and United States is only in field of intelligence and training to combat Al Qaeda which poses threats to Yemen and the World.

The statement comes hours after the government implemented an air strike against Al Qaeda militants in the framework of the crackdown which started December 17, 2009 after which AlQaeda accused the American of implementing the raids against them.

The military leader of what is called Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was killed along with 6 other militants at least in an air strike, official and independent sources said Friday.

Kasem Al Raimi, (known also as Abu Hurairah) the military commander of AQAP, Amar Al Waeli, Saleh Al Tais and Ayadh Al Shabwani, were confirmed killed in the air strike, which targeted two cars at Al Agasher area between Sa'ada and Al Jawf provinces.

Kasem Al Raimi, the mastermind of several previous terrorists acts against the Yemeni government and western interests, escaped three hunt down operations by Yemeni security since last December, when the Yemen declared open war against Al Qaeda.

Two of Al Qaeda militants were escaped the air strikes, the security sources said.

Al Jawf governor, Hussein Hazeb, confirmed the air raid of today targeted Al Qaeda militants who were hiding between Sa’ada and Al Jawf.

The government troops are hunting down those who escaped the raids after destroying their cars, he said over phone.