Operation to purge Abyan of terrorists, rebels continues: Governor

Governor of Abyan province, Dr. Al Khader Al Saidi, confirmed that the Yemeni army continues its operation to purge the governorate of terrorists and rebels in coordination with the Arab Coalition forces and the command of the 4th military zone.

The military operation was launched from the towns of Zinjibar and Khanfar and was expanded to Mukeiras town, he said.

Al Saidi, who was speaking in an interview with Abu Dhabi TV, noted pro-government troops, backed by the Arab military coalition, the National Resistance Forces and the Yemeni Air Force, seized Zinjibar town, the capital of  Abyan province, from the Al Qaeda terrorist organisation and that the towns of Jaar, al-Husson and Batis as well as the 7 October Camp.

"The road to Aden City is completely secured to prevent rebels and Al Qaeda terrorists from escaping", he said.

He added that the situation there is good. "I toured the buildings of the governor's office, the court and the al-Rabi Hospital as well as Zinjibar town to examine the conditions of citizens and boost the morale of fighters," he said.

Yemeni army calls units to side with legitimate government

Yemen's national army has reiterated its call to all servicemen, units and formations to side with the country's legitimate government.

In a statement on its official account on microblogging site Twitter, the army said, "We reiterate our call our fellow servicemen in the armed forces to join the national army and follow the model of their fellow servicemen as soon as possible."

Yemeni Army hail role of Saudi Arabia and UAE

The Yemeni army and popular resistance forces backed by the Arab Coalition have liberated areas in the Abyan Governorate, including Zinjibar and Joar, from the coup militia.
 
Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi praised the role played by the Arab Coalition forces, especially sacrifices made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE along with the Yemeni force on various fronts and locations to defend the Yemeni land and protect its unified identity.
 
The official Yemeni News Agency reported that Hadi, in two phone calls with Abyan Governor Al-Khader Mohammed al-Saidi and the commander of the Fourth Military Region, Major General Ahmed Saif Al Yafei, congratulated field commanders, the national army and the resistance forces who were able to achieve successes and emerge champions against the rebels and forces of terrorism.
 
He hailed the successive victories against the oppressive and terror forces of coup militias whose only agenda is to kill innocent people and destroy property and infrastructure.
 
The Yemeni President pointed to the sufferings of the population of Abyan province during the past period and the sacrifices in the face of the coup militia and its hidden ally, the terrorism forces which destroyed infrastructure such as water, electricity and other services.
 
The governor of Abyan and commander of the 4th military region commended the Arab Coalition member states, namely Saudi Arabia and the UAE, for their significant and supportive role in this victory.
 
A Yemeni army source told the news agency that the national army and resistance fighters today
carried out a qualitative large-scale operation against the strongholds of the terrorists in Zinjibar and Joar areas.
 
''They (terrorists) were forced out of these areas and dealt severe blows,'' the source said, adding that more than 40 terrorists were killed and tens were injured while dozens fled to Jabal Hassan.
 
He affirmed that the areas of Zinjibar, Joar, Al Kode, Al Makhzan, Al Joal and Al Mesaimeer were completely liberated and cleansed off the terrorists and the army and resistance fighters were pursuing those who had fled the battlefield.

Two Yemen cities liberated from Al Qaeda

Yemeni government forces entered Zinjibar on Sunday backed by Arab coalition air strikes as they launched an offensive to recapture southern Abyan province and its capital from Al Qaeda.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has exploited a 16-month-old civil war between the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Houthis to capture a 600-km (370-mile) stretch of Arabian Sea coastline in eastern Yemen.

Hadi's troops and forces from the Saudi-led Arab coalition drove out AQAP - widely considered the most dangerous branch of the global militant group - from the Hadramout provincial capital of Mukalla in April.

The militants have since repeatedly withdrawn from and then returned to Zinjibar and Jaar, the capital of Abyan and the province's second largest city.

Abyan Governor Al-Khader Mohammed al-Saidi, speaking by telephone from Jaar, told Reuters that three brigades took part in the operation and that troops have "taken complete control of both cities".

Saidi said that 40 AQAP members were killed in both cities, while the rest fled. He said three soldiers were killed and several were wounded in the operation.

"We met with citizens and fighters and both were happy to be free under government authority," the governor said.

Residents said an AQAP suicide bomber blew himself up in a car trying to attack troops in Zinjibar, a city of some 100,000 people, but no one else was hurt.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.