SANA'A: Yemeni government officials in Zinjibar, the southern regional capital of the province of Abyan, announced on Saturday that 6 al-Qaeda fighters had met their fate in armed clashes with government troops. Despite many claims from the government that control had been regained over its southern territories and that Zinjibar had been free from the yoke of al-Qaeda, violence is being reported on a daily basis and militants seem to be continuing their advances in the region. On Saturday in the town of Jaar, al-Qaeda militants lashed several young men for having consumed narcotics, putting in effect their version of the Sharia law, or Islamic law. Security officials told the press that the Islamist militants were still in control of the eastern part of Zinjibar adding that the army was making tangible progress against their advances. The sources, which were not allowed to speak to the media, revealed that 6 soldiers had been wounded in the clashes. Many member of the Opposition are still maintaining that President Saleh himself allowed the terror group to spread out its influence to not only prove a point to the West by showing that he was de facto the only person able to ward off the danger of Islamism but also that his regime was the only viable institution able to guarantee stability in the region. Whether staged or not, the truth of the matter is that al-Qaeda is well and truly operating in southern Yemen, making American security analysts nervous and they estimate that Yemen is now home to the most dangerous and most active militants. To makes matters worse, local authorities have warned that al-Qaeda was planning to branch out in the provinces of Mareb, Shabwa and Aden, breaking the country into pockets and spreading instability. BM
