Al-Qaeda booby-traps.. A slow war of attrition targeting the southern forces in Abyan
English - Saturday 08 July 2023 الساعة 07:35 pm
Abyan, Newsyemen, Private:
Camouflaged booby traps planted by al-Qaeda cells still represent the biggest challenge facing the security and military forces participating in Operation Siham al-Sharq (Arrow of the East)in Abyan Governorate, in the south of the country.
During the past four months, about 20 targeting operations carried out by al-Qaeda elements with camouflaged improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made locally were documented. As a result, about 80 soldiers from the southern forces participating in the war against terrorism in Abyan governorate were killed and wounded.
Most of the terrorist attacks were concentrated in the Mudiya district and Wadi Omran, which was considered a major stronghold of the organization before its cleansing operation late last year as part of the operations that targeted the dens and hideouts of terrorist elements in the governorate.
Recently, a military official in the Support and Support Forces - one of the military brigades participating in Operation Arrows of the East - survived an assassination attempt after detonating explosive devices that were planted on a road in the outskirts of Modia.
A military source told "Newsyemen": that the convoy of the commander of the Fourth Battalion in the Sixth Brigade, Colonel Fadl Abdullah Al-Qardai, was attacked with two explosive devices while it was passing on a road near the Omran Valley, east of the Mudiyah district.
He explained that al-Qaeda members detonated the two explosive devices remotely from the moment the convoy passed, which also included other leaders, including the deputy for operations of the Fourth Battalion, Commander Radwan Ali Ahmed, and a number of other soldiers accompanying the convoy.
According to military sources, the attack resulted in the injury of two soldiers who were accompanying them, and they were transferred to a government hospital in Abyan. In addition, sweeping operations were carried out to ensure that there were no other explosive devices planted by the organization's elements.
The 6th Brigade, Support and Support, is stationed in separate areas of Wadi Omran and Mudiya after clearing and securing them from the threat of terrorist elements.
During the recent period, the brigade's forces were subjected to a series of terrorist attacks launched by al-Qaeda elements with the aim of retaking the valley, which is the most important stronghold of the organization in Abyan.
After his escape from the attack, the commander of the Fourth Battalion, Colonel Fadl Al-Qardai, made a statement confirming his safety and his escape from the treacherous attack that took place in Mudiya. He explained that such treacherous operations carried out by terrorist al-Qaeda elements will only increase the forces participating in the war on terror in Abyan with steadfastness and strength until the sources of terrorism are dried up and the province is fully secured.
The escalation of booby-trapped attacks against the southern forces participating in the war against terrorism in Mudiya prompted some local activists to present solutions and proposals to curb these attacks and confront them in order to preserve the successes achieved by the "Arrows of the East" forces within the tasks of securing Abyan governorate from the scourge of terrorism.
Among those proposals was what was published by the southern activist and journalist, Adel Madouri, who confirmed that Operation Arrows of the East succeeded militarily in defeating terrorism from the regions of Abyan, but the remnants of this scourge are still hidden and are planting explosive devices that claim the lives of the heroes of the southern forces daily.
Madouri put forward some proposals to help stop the bloodshed of the forces and end the war of explosives and explosive devices that al-Qaeda elements resorted to in response to their repeated defeats in front of the southern forces in Mudiya and Abyan.
The proposals focused on assimilating the people of the regions that witness continuous activity of al-Qaeda movements, within the southern forces participating in Operation Arrows of the East, forming a brigade from the people of those regions, arming them and supporting them with sufficient equipment, and assigning them to protect their regions because they are the ones who know the entrances and exits of the region and know the people living in their areas.
He called for rearranging and rehabilitating the security belt forces in the central region in Abyan, supporting them and providing them with all capabilities so that they can carry out their correct duty in securing markets, public roads and every inch, as well as the formation of a joint operations room for all forces participating in the military campaign in the central region.
The proposals also included the normalization of conditions in Mudiya, supporting the region with development projects and providing services so that the citizen feels that there is a quantum leap, and the impact of this will be reflected through the interaction of the simple citizen with the military forces, and the citizen will be a support alongside the military forces, by providing information on the movements of terrorist groups.
The proposals focused on the necessity of linking military action with political action, by reviewing the leaders and general managers of the central region directorates. Adding: It is illogical for the military forces to fight terrorist groups while general directors of directorates and officials in directorates continue in their positions while they support these groups, led by officials from the Brotherhood.
The southern activist demanded the necessity of activating the awareness and guidance aspect, since this aspect has an effective impact in securing youth and creating direct awareness to confront this invading scourge in Abyan.
