Young Yemeni critic of extremists killed in Aden

Aden: A Yemeni youth known for his criticism of Islamist extremism on social media platforms has been killed in the southern city of Aden, security officials and his family said on Wednesday.

Omar Batawil, 18, was found on Monday in a street in the Shaikh Othman neighbourhood, with a bullet hole in his head and two in the chest, the sources said.

“Omar was kidnapped near his family’s house by gunmen who killed him,” a relative said, blaming “radical Islamists”.

A spokeswoman for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Malak Shaher, said Batawil was taken to a hospital operated by the relief agency in Aden, where he succumbed to his wounds.

No one has claimed his killing, but local officials have said the attack was linked to his strong criticism of extremists on Facebook.

Terrorist groups have strengthened their presence in Southern Yemen, taking advantage of the war between Iran-backed rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

But government and coalition forces have this year been driving Al Qaida extremists out of several southern cities.