Al Mukalla: Two top Daesh financial facilitators and four other operatives have been detained in Yemen’s southern province of Lahj after a successful raid on their hideout, Brigadier General Saleh Al Sayed, Lahj’s chief of security said in a statement.
Following almost three months of intelligence efforts, local security authorities managed to locate Rashad Hamadi and Abdullah Ahmad Hadi, identified as two top Daesh financial figures in Daesh’s “Lahj emirate” on the outskirts of Huta city, the capital of Lahj, on Friday. Officials believe the detained militants will lead to the capture of Daesh fugitives.
The arrest of the seven militants marks another blow to Daesh and Al Qaida, who have long cashed in on the continuing war again the Iran-backed Al Houthis to expand the territory they control. Local security and government officials previously told Gulf News that as many as 20 Al Qaida and Daesh operatives have been detained since early last year when government forces, backed by air cover from the UAE, ousted the militants from main cities and chased them to mountainous areas.
In the wake of successful military operations, peace and stability have prevailed in the province, which has enabled the governor of Lahj and other senior officials to return to Huta and other cities.
Meanwhile, in the port city of Aden, Major Shalal Ali Shaye, the chief security of Aden, vowed to “uproot” Al Qaida, Daesh and other militants groups from Aden and punish militants who plotted deadly suicide attacks that killed 46 people and injured as many as 50.
Shaye visited injured soldiers and civilians at local hospitals where he told them that security services in Aden would hunt down Daesh and Al Qaida militants and bring them to justice.
On Sunday afternoon, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive–rigged car at the main gate of Aden security headquarters in Khor Maksar district. After that, armed men in two cars stormed the damaged gate and began shooting at soldiers who rushed to rescue their colleagues. The militants released prisoners and seized the compound for nearly 24 hours.
The deadly attack triggered strong condemnation from the internationally-recognised president, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who ordered security authorities and the army to step up security measures to prevent Daesh and Al Qaida from carrying further attacks.
