Yemeni army forces launched an offensive against al-Qaeda militants in the country’s southern Hadhramaut province on Sunday, according to military sources.
The operation is aimed at liberating provincial capital al-Mukalla from the group, the sources – who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions against speaking to the media – said.
The army operation was launched shortly after seven al-Qaeda militants were killed by airstrikes carried out in al-Mukalla.
In recent months, al-Qaeda has exploited the ongoing conflict between the central government and the Shia Houthi group to bolster its influence in the country’s south.
Yemen has suffered violence and chaos since September 2014, when the Houthis and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh overran capital Sanaa and several other provinces, forcing President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and his government to temporarily flee to Riyadh.
In March of last year, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at reversing Houthi gains and restoring Hadi’s embattled government.
By Mohamed al-Samae
