Al-Qaeda-linked militants took part in violent events in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden that have triggered wide local and international criticism, the state-run September 26 website reported on Friday quoting an official at the southern military zone.
Several people were killed and tens others injured after anti- and pro-unity rallies were held in Aden on Thursday. The victims included soldiers whose patrols were targeted by armed separatists and others, according to the official.
Two of the militants including an information officer within Al-Qaeda, Wajdi Al-Subaihi, were killed in clashes with the forces after the two attacked a security patrol in the Mansoura town, the official was quoted as saying.
Abdullah Hassan Al-Amoudi, another militant who was wanted on terrorist charges, was also killed Thursday in Crater, he continued.
In the meantime, people in the south including officials in the southern movement Harak which is calling for secessionism have criticized the violence in Aden, saying the latest events make them insist on their demands, mainly seeking secessionism.
Lately, some southern factions submitted the lists of their representatives to the comprehensive dialogue conference and others abstained.
Those who abstained argued the Thursday violence convinced them the dialogue will not be useful and that the government has no serious willingness to launch a productive dialogue.
The latest developments have been behind our decision to boycott the dialogue and call on the international community to back the south to determine its fate, they said, in a sign of their determination of seeking separation.
The dialogue will be held on March 18 under a West-backed power-transfer deal that was brokered by the GCC after the 2011 unrest.