Qaeda kills 22 Yemen troops after death of leader
May 08, 2012 02:32
Al-Qaeda gunmen today launched spectacular attacks on two army posts in south Yemen, killing at least 22 soldiers, to avenge the death of a top militant in an air raid, a military official said.
Jihadists attacked the military posts outside the city of Zinjibar, which they have controlled since May last year, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Four officers were among those killed, he said. The attacks came after Yemeni al-Qaeda leader Fahd al-Quso, who was wanted in connection with the deadly 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, was killed in an air strike in eastern Yemen yesterday.
"They attacked our positions in retaliation for the killing of Fahd al-Quso," said a military official, adding that a total of 22 soldiers were killed in the attack. He said the army had been anticipating al-Qaeda retaliation for the killing of Quso, saying that an alert was sent out to all units to expect an attack by the "enemy" following yesterday's air raid.
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