ِAden - A senior officer in Yemen’s southern forces was killed yesterday in a terrorist bombing believed to be orchestrated by Al-Qaeda militants in the restive Abyan province.

Captain Mohammed Ali Mohammed Al-Fahhah, chief of staff of the 3rd Battalion in the 3rd Support and Reinforcement Brigade, was killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near a military convoy in the Mudiyah district. The blast also injured several soldiers, according to local security sources.

The attack is suspected to be the work of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has intensified its operations in southern Yemen amid ongoing instability and fragmented control among rival factions.

Security Belt Forces, aligned with the Southern Transitional Council (STC), have been conducting counterterrorism operations in Abyan, a province long known as a stronghold for extremist groups. 

The killing of Captain Al-Fahhah marks a significant loss for the southern forces and highlights the persistent threat posed by AQAP in the region.

Military reinforcements were deployed to the area following the explosion, and search operations are underway to track down the perpetrators.