Al-Qaida Ambush Kills 3 Yemeni Gov’t Soldiers in Abyan Province

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) gunmen killed at least three Yemeni government soldiers in an ambush in Abyan province on Saturday. The troops were patrolling in the Umayran Valley when they were ambushed by the Islamist fighters. Several other soldiers were injured in the attack and received immediate medical assistance.

The incident highlights the escalating tensions in Abyan province as the al-Qaida affiliate gains a foothold in the region, exploiting the ongoing instability caused by the prolonged conflict in Yemen. The Yemen-based armed group has been responsible for a surge in attacks against government forces, intelligence officials, and military infrastructure, exacerbating the already dire situation in the war-ravaged country.

In recent months, government forces backed by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition conducted several large-scale military operations on AQAP hideouts in an effort to combat the mounting threat. However, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have not been able to eliminate the armed groups entrenched in various mountainous areas of Abyan and other neighboring southern provinces.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels fighting against the internationally recognized government and its allies, including the Saudi-led coalition.