Al Qaeda retake two major south Yemen towns: residentsDecember 2, 2015 - 10:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Al Qaeda have retaken the two major southern Yemeni towns of Zinjibar and Jaar that had fallen briefly to militants four years ago, residents and local fighters said on Wednesday, December 2, according to Reuters. Residents said the militants launched a surprise attack and clashed with the local forces, known as popular committees. The militants then set up checkpoints at the entries to the towns and announced over loudspeakers after dawn prayers their takeover of both towns. Jaar and Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province, are about 50 km (30 miles) east of the main port city of Aden. They had fallen previously to militants from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in 2011. At the time, the militants were emboldened by waning government control over the impoverished country during Arab Spring protests that eventually ousted former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Yemeni army drove the militants out just over a year later. This time, the country is convulsed in a protracted conflict that pits Shi'ite Houthi fighters and forces loyal to Saleh against a Saudi-led coalition and fighters loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Abdullatif al-Sayed, the head of Popular Committee fighters in Abyan province, said that he tried to repel the attacks and had informed officials what al Qaeda had been planning, but to no avail. "The entrance of al Qaeda this time happened in the absence of any state institutions, which al Qaeda exploited," said Zinjibar resident Fadl Mohammed Mubarak. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenian delegation participating in NATO PA session The delegation is headed by Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the standing committee on defense and security matters. Schengen visa cost won’t change for Armenia – diplomat The increase in the cost of a Schengen visa will not apply to citizens of Armenia, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson has said. Yeremyan Projects opens state-of-the-art dairy production plant Yeremyan Projects officially launched the Yeremyan Products state-of-the-art milk processing plant in Yerevan on May 24. Armenian PM’s helicopter makes emergency landing in Vanadzor The helicopter transporting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made an emergency landing in Vanadzor. |