Military victorious [Archives:2003/646/Front Page]

Ridhwan Al-Saqqaf
Abyan, June 28 – The leader of a Yemeni Islamist cell believed to be behind an attack on army medics was among those killed in a government offensive against suspected militants, a security source said on Friday.
At least 12 people, including two soldiers, were killed on Wednesday after forces shelled and raided hideouts in southern Abyan province, where members of the Yemeni group Islamic Jihad were said to be hiding.
“It has been confirmed that Ahmed Abdulnabi was among those killed,” the source told Reuters.
Government sources say Abdulnabi is the leader of the group that attacked the army medics in Abyan last on June 21. They believe his group is a cell of Islamic Jihad -also known as Aden-Abyan Islamic Army-, and that he may have ties to the al Qaeda militant network.
Abdulnabi had previously been in Afghanistan but returned before the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities, the security source said.
The battle between security forces and the Islamic militants ended last Friday with the defeat of the militant group after its leader, Khaled Abdulnabi, was killed during a massive assault by the military forces against the few dozen militants, who were hiding in the Hattat mountainous area in the southern province of Abyan.
The confrontation between the two sides has hence reached its end at least in the time being until the militants start regrouping again.
Military forces are still, however, chasing several militants still hiding in the vast mountains of Abyan.
The forces were able on Thursday to reach the hideouts of the leaders of the group and were able to collect the artillery left behind by the escaped militants, who are expected to be moving from one place to another in the Makr mountain in Hattat valley in the district of Sarar of Abyan province. The forces realized they have taken control of the region after concluding that there was no more resistance in response to their fire. The area where the escapees are at is quite vast with mountains extending from Sirar district, which is connected to the Yaramis region in the east with the Bana and Radfan valleys of Lahj province in the west.
The military forces that surrounded the area from the north and south at Makram found a vehicle belonging to the escapees. The vehicle had Rocket Propelled Grenade equipment along with live ammunition and several light machineguns plus first aid and medical equipment.
A military source that requested anonymity said that the assault on the militants led to killing and injuring 20 of them and arresting more than 25. The attacking military units also suffered a few deaths and injuries.
Meanwhile, Major General Abdullah Alewa, Minister of Defense along with the southern region's commander and commanders of other participating military units led the operations that took place on Thursday and Friday at Makr Mountain region.
Several villagers in the area expressed their appreciation to the military forces for clearing the area from militant groups that caused them sleepless nights in the last few weeks.
Military units have started their withdrawal from the area after the successful operation as eyewitnesses have seen military convoys and trucks leaving the area towards Aden. Other military units remained in the area to hunt down the rest of the militants who are wanted by the law. The search for bodies or injured are continuing throughout the area in an effort to control all areas including Khalha, Haswa, and along the valley of Huttat until Al-Bark mountain and the mountain series reaching up to the Al-Sahib Al-Maqbara Amsdarat Al-Rakb, and Dhi Tha'ab so as to strictly control the circumference of the region and preventing the militants from escaping.
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