Yemen: Al-Qaeda kills and wounds about 300 soldiers of Saleh's regime within a week of fightings

At least six people were killed and dozens others injured on Monday, when the Yemeni air forces shelled an inhabited area in the province of Abyan, reports the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

Rockets fired by the air forces hit residential buildings in Jaar town.

According to the military of the Saleh's regime, the attack was conducted due to the fact that the Mujahideen of al-Qaeda might have been stationed in the town. They reported that the death toll will rise.

Meanwhile, the Mujahideen of the AQAP spread their activity to the strategically important port city of Aden. It is reported that a senior army officer has been killed in the southern part of this major port city (province of Aden). It is reported that a bomb exploded inside his car.

In turn, some media outlets reported that at least 80 soldiers have been killed and more than 200 injured in 2 weeks of battles for Zinjibar. According to puppet sources, about 60 Mujahideen fighters martyred and about 90 others were wounded.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post writes that the Mujahideen of al-Qaeda are seeking to establish their control over the southern parts of Yemen and to take possession of sea areas through which an active transfer of the oil to western countries is being carried out.

The newspaper writes that the Mujahideen, after the liberation Zinjibar and several other towns, are not going to stop there and intend move further into the southern provinces. Taking advantage of the crisis in Yemen, al-Qarida seeks to control as much territory as possible.

Yemen is a strategically important country for both the US and the Arab regimes. The transit of oil is carried out through Yemeni territorial waters as well as major arms smuggling takes place there.

The Saleh' sregime does not allow foreign journalists to travel to Zinjibar. Therefore, they compile their reports based only on telephone conversations with the residents, as well as from other sources.

Zinjibar has turned into a ghost town due to daily shelling, air assaults and gunfire. There's no electricity, water or other services. Dozens thousand people, mostly women and children, have fled the city. Former government buildings, as well as shops are closed. Many of them were destroyed during the shellings.

Mostly bearded youths dressed in civilian clothes are said to control the streets of Zinjibar, writes The Washington Post. Residents described the Mujahideen as polite and not oppressive.

There are as many as 700 Mujahideen in Zinjibar and surrounding areas, said the officials of Saleh's regime.

"They want to create an Islamic emirate," said Mohammed al-Shuhairi, 50, a journalist in al-Kowd, near Zinjibar.

It is to be recalled that the Islamic Emirate of Abyan was already proclaimed in March 2011.

Muslims from various provinces of Yemen as well as from other countries come to Abyan. They are united in a military organization called Ansar al-Sharia, or Supporters of the Sharia Law, which works closely with the Mujahideen of al-Qaeda.

By taking control of Zinjibar, the Mujahideen of al-Qaeda have already discovered opportunities to influence world oil supplies, writes The Washington Post. In addition they have an opportunity to attack the main port city of Yemen, Aden, which is located about 30 miles south-west.

The state department (SD) of the US terrorist government and the US intelligence officials believe that al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) will continue to take advantage of deteriorating situation in Yemen. And a storm by Saleh forces of Mujahideen-liberated Zinjibar will be and a test of strength.

The SD spokesman Mark Toner said that the AQAP's sizable presence puts the country on a different tier compared with other Arab countries.

Many believe that the American puppets from the Saleh's government face the threat of total disability due to actions of al-Qaeda in the south of Yemen, as well as from the insurgents in other parts of the country.

"If they (the Mujahideen of al-Qaeda) remain, they will have great impact on Yemen's politics", said Qassem al-Kasadi, a Saleh's party lawmaker from Abyan. "They could end up ruling over parts of south. In those areas, they have taken over the power, they are already manning checkpoints and ordering residents to follow the Sharia".

Department of Monitoring

Kavkaz Center