Yemen - raids on Al-Qaeda

Yemeni forces kill 28 Al-Qaeda operatives

Article published on the 2009-12-17 Latest update 2009-12-17 18:41 TU

Yemeni soldiers in Saada province
(Photo: AFP)

Yemeni forces launched a series of operations against Al-Qaeda militants on Thursday, killing 28 and capturing 17 others, according to the Defence Ministry. Officials say that imminent suicide attacks were foiled.

The main operation took place on an Al-Qaeda training camp in the southern province of Abyan, where they are believed to have regrouped in order to strike at Saudi Arabia.

About 12 jet fighters took part in the raid on the village of Al-Maajala, some 480 kilometres south-east of the capital Sanaa.

"Between 24 and 30 Al-Qaeda militants, including foreigners, were killed while training," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

But witnesses in Al-Maajala told press agency AFP that about 50 people, including an unknown number of civilians, were killed in the attack.

Raids also took place in the capital Sanaa, where 13 militants were captured, and the neighbouring district of Arhab, where a cell was found preparing suicide attacks on Yemeni and foreign interests. Four were killed and four others arrested.