A gunman attacked a prayer gathering in south Yemen on the Eid day killing seven people including local officials and a senior military officer, a day after suspected Al-Qaeda militants carried out two deadly attacks in Aden and Abyan, officials said.
The attack, which also injured a dozen others, was criminally motivated, the officials said, pointing out that it might be motivated by past revenge. The attacker sheltered to his home in the Qataba town, Dhale, and the forces are now surrounding it, the officials added.
On Saturday, suspected Al-Qaeda militants attacked the intelligence HQ in Aden killing 16 soldiers and injuring tens others coinciding with a suicide bombing in the Modya town in Abyan that killed three including a leader of the popular resistance committees and the attacker.
Analysts said Al-Qaeda is retaliating after the severe blows it has received in Abyan and Shabwa in the past few months.
In April-May, the army launched a US-backed offensive and drove Al-Qaeda militants out of their strongholds in Abyan and Shabwa and killed hundreds of them including senior leaders.
Al-Qaeda has since carried out the deadliest ever suicide bombings in main cities including the capital Sanaa targeting military and security leaders, personnel, cadets and offices.
Analysts said the increasing bombings and other security disorders are blamed on the division of the armed forces and resistance of some senior army commanders to the restructuring of the national forces.
They said the current security situation is affecting the democratic transition under the power-transfer deal which was brokered by the GCC and backed by the West after the 2011 turmoil.