Al Mukalla: A young man wearing an explosives belt blew himself up near a gathering of policemen, recruits and civilians killing at least 26 and injuring 50 outside a police camp in the city of Al Mukalla, security officials and witnesses said on Sunday.
Brigadier Mubarak Al Oubathani, chief of security in Hadramout, told Gulf News that the targeted people were queuing outside the camp for security checks.
“The blast’s victims were policemen who returned to work for the first time since April last year, as well as young recruits and civilians who had complained to the police.”
Shortly after the attack, Daesh-linked accounts on social media claimed responsibly for the attacks and posted the photo of a young man who allegedly carried out the attack and was identified as Abu Al Baraa Al Ansari.
The attack is the second in the city of Al Mukalla since April 24 when government forces backed by air support from Saudi-led Arab coalition warplanes recaptured the coastal regions of the province from Al Qaida.
Al Qaida had held the city since April last year.
The first major bombing was on Thursday when a man driving a car laden with explosive materials detonated it outside a navy base in Khalef region, outside the old city, killing six government-allied armed men and injuring at least a dozen.
On Sunday, plain-clothed Yemeni troops were seen raiding houses in many districts in the city where Daesh and Al Qaida militants were said to be hiding.
The governor of Hadramout, Major General Ahmad Bin Bourek, strongly condemned the attack and vowed to defeat Al Qaida and Daesh militants.
“This is a reprisal attack by the trounced Al Qaida who suffered blows by the elite Hadrami forces supported the coalition forces. These hideous acts would not hinder us from achieving our goals of eradicating this terrorist organisation from Hadramout and every inch in this country,” he said.
In a recent interview with Gulf News, Bin Bourek said that Yemeni security forces have arrested hundreds of Al Qaida militants since Al Mukalla was liberated during a Saudi and Emirati-backed offensive.
