Yemeni army kills several elements of al-Qaeda in Bayda

BAYDA, Aug. 12 (YPA) – At least 12 al-Qaeda militants, including prominent leaders, were killed Wednesday during operations carried out by the Yemeni army and popular committees in Bayda, central Yemen.

Tribal sources said the dead included senior al-Qaeda leader Abu Hafs al-Pakistani, the Turkish group’s supply official, along with the emir of Qurashiya area, Abu Surimah .

The leaders were killed during the fighting in the past few hours in Qaifa district, where the army forces have taken control of positions of extremist groups, most notably Uqba and Wadi Azzj.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, army forces took control of al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIS) positions in al-Zaher distr..

On Monday, the Yemeni Army forces and popular committees have taken control over a strategic mountain in the province.

According to the sources, the army forces have extended their control over the strategic Mountain “Nawfan” so that they can then impose a total siege on the entire area of “Thi Kaleb” east of Qaifa district, which is one of al-Qaeda strongholds in the province.

Moreover, the army forces and popular committees also took control over the areas of the Aqabat  Za’aj and ” Jawf Alnejfa” east of Qaifa to cut off the takfirist elements of al-Qaeda supply line coming from Marib.

The sources said there were casualties among al-Qaeda militants in battles with the army and committees, including leaders known as Abu Tamim al-Qaefi and Abu Hussein al-A’mari.

According to the sources, the US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition’s fighter jets launched series of air strikes to support al-Qaeda and ISIS militiamen in the province on Tuesday.

The source confirmed that aggression warplanes waged ten air raids on areas in Qaifa front to support the terrorist organizations.

Other sources said that the coalition’s forces sent military reinforcements to al-Qaeda militants in Yakla area of Qaifa district.

E.M