Al Qaeda dying under " Golden Swords", and residents rejoice in south Yemen

Al Qaeda dying under " Golden Swords", and residents rejoice in south Yemen

By Nasser Arrabyee/12/06/2012

The Yemen army in cooperation with tribesmen says it is now starting  the
 "Golden Swords Operations" against the remnants of terrorists of Al Qaeda in the southern province of Abyan and Shabwah.

The three main strongholds of Al Qaeda in the southern province of Abyan, Jaar, Zinjubar, and Shuqrah are almost under the control of the army and tribesmen. 

The Governor of Abyan Jamal Al Akel said Tuesday after the army and tribesmen took control over the whole cities of Jaar and Zinjubar, that some 300  terrorists including the top leaders are escaping but being followed by an operation called the " Battles of golden swords".

The local residents of Jaar in the southern province of Abyan  have been rejoicing since early morning Tuesday after the army and tribesmen forced Al Qaeda to leave their town, local residents said. According to some residents in Jaar, Al Qaeda asked  for pardon before they were forced to leave the town. 
The residents found  papers signed by Al Qaeda addressing the local residents of Jaar who were forced by to leave their house more than one year ago.

  The papers say, "this is your town, preserve it, protect it, and please forgive us for not helping you, and forgive us for making you away from your houses all this time"

Jaar was declared as a  Taliban-style Islamic Emirate in April 2011. 
Zinjubar also was declared  a Taliban-style Emirate on May, 2012. Today Tuesday, June 12, 2012, Zinjubar which has been surrounded by army and tribesmen  from all directions for about two months, became under the control of the army. 

The brigade 119 stormed Zinjubar after remnants of Al Qaeda escaped by boats in the sea of the gulf of Aden during the last night, according to military and local sources. 


According to military statements, the Yemeni navy was able to besiege and sink 10 boats carrying  Al Qaeda operatives  while trying to escape through the sea to the last strongholds of Shuqrah in Abyan and also to the last,  last stronghold of Azzan  in Shabwah.

For the coastal town of Shuqrah  on Gulf of Aden, the second brigade of republican guards and tribesmen took control of Al Orkub, at the northern outskirts of this town which became besieged from all direction, north (Orkub), East ( Ahwar) and west ( Zinjubar).