Saturday 18 September 2010

Yemen's Abyan deputy governor survives Qaida assassination attempt

Source: Xinhua 18/09/2010
SANAA-Yemeni deputy governor of the southern Abyan province escaped an assassination attempt on Saturday after a group of al-Qaida gunmen fired a rocket-propelled grenade on the official's convoy, wounding three of his bodyguards, a local police official said.

"Deputy governor of Abyan Ahmed Ghalib al-Rahawi survived early Saturday an assassination attempt after al-Qaida fighters intercepted his convoy and fired a rocket-propelled grenade on one of the convoy's vehicle, injuring three bodyguards," the official told Xinhua.

The vehicle then caught fire, and the accident took place in Jaar city, as police reinforcement rushed to the spot, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Yemen, the ancestral homeland of al-Qaida network leader Osama bin Laden, has witnessed a series of deadly attacks by al-Qaida group across the country since late last year.

Abyan is believed to be one of al-Qaida strongholds in Yemen that has witnessed a series of deadly battles between al-Qaida fighters and the security forces late last month, leaving dozens of people dead or injured.

The U.S.-backed Yemeni government has intensified security operations and air raids against terrorist groups after the Yemen- based al-Qaida wing claimed credit for a botched attempt to blow up a U.S.-bound passenger plane last December.

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