Washington considers Al-Qa’iti death an important victory for Yemen Al-Qaeda vows revenge [Archives:2008/1183/Front Page]

By:Aqeel Al-Halali
For the Yemen Times
SANA'A, Aug. 20 ) The Al-Qaeda Jihad Organization in Yemen yesterday confirmed the death of its leader, Hamza Al-Qa'iti, along with four other elements in confrontations with security forces in Tarim, Hadramout governorate, on Aug. 11.

In a press release published by online web site Islamic Faith, the group vowed revenge for Al-Qa'iti and his companions. “We pledge to carry out a revenge operation soon, God willing. The real news is what you see, not what you hear.” The press release maintained that eight security soldiers died during the confrontations, not two as stated by the government.

Yemen's Interior Ministry reported that two security men were killed and three injured during the confrontations with an Al-Qaeda cell prior to an announcement by security sources that a third soldier also died due to serious injuries he sustained while fighting with the cell.

A security source reports that security apparatuses in Hadramout arrested four Al-Qaeda elements on Monday, following three days of searching out an armed cell near Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout governorate.

Yemen's Saba News Agency reported that the same security source said that Hadramout security apparatuses arrested four Al-Qaeda elements in the town of Al-Qatn near Sayoun, which last month witnessed a suicide bombing resulting in two deaths and 18 injuries, most of whom were soldiers.

The U.S. Embassy in Sana'a complemented the Yemeni government's efforts in combating terror, considering Al-Qa'iti's death “and the arrests that followed n important victory in the ongoing anti-terrorism battle in Yemen and the region.”

A press release issued by the embassy and published by Al-Masdar newspaper mentioned that “the success of the government operation against Al-Qaeda gives a clear message that Yemen stands firm with the international community, which is determined to deprive those terrorists and extremists, who use violence to realize their targets, of a safe shelter,” pointing out that the Yemeni government can depend on U.S. support to fight terrorism.

The U.S. Embassy release also expressed its sorrow for the “courageous soldiers who were killed,” and wished the injured soldiers a full recovery.
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