Roadside Bomb Targets Yemeni Military Patrol, Killing 2 Soldiers

A roadside bomb struck a military patrol in Yemen’s southern Abyan province, resulting in the tragic deaths of two soldiers and injuries to four others, according to a local security official.

The anonymous official reported that the explosion occurred in the Mudiyah district of Abyan as the patrol was passing by, causing the immediate destruction of the military vehicle and the loss of two lives.

Following the incident, local authorities rushed to the scene to provide assistance to the victims and launch an investigation. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Officials strongly suspect the involvement of al-Qaida affiliates operating in the region, given their history of targeting Yemeni government forces with similar roadside bombings and ambushes. In recent months, Abyan and other southern provinces have witnessed an alarming increase in attacks against security personnel.

Yemen’s ongoing civil war and the resultant power vacuum have posed significant challenges for the government in preventing al-Qaida factions from exploiting the situation to expand, particularly in the country’s southern regions.

Yemen has been grappling with a devastating civil conflict since 2014, pitting the Houthi rebels against the internationally recognized Yemeni government. In 2015, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in support of the Yemeni government.