SANA'A, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, (AQAP) declared on Wednesday that Yemen's southern province of Shabwa had become an Islamic Emirate. With the province of Abyan being under the control of the group, Shabwa is the latest southern province to have fallen to Ansar al Sharia in less than a year. The Islamic militia posted on several jihadi websites a statement confirming their control over the province with photos highlighting their activities in the region. Yemen Interior Ministry warned on its website against a potential terrorist attacks which would target vital economic installations in the country' southeastern province of Hadramout. The Ministry said that at least 300 AQAP elements were already deployed in Azzan town, in the Shabwa province, amongst whom were Ibrahim Al-Banaa, an Egyptian national, Qassem Al-Raimi, a military leader, and Shaker Hamel, who is described as the most dangerous elements of the Al-Qaeda. The Islamists are believed to be preparing for a series of attacks on local representatives and security facilities in the province. Moreover the group is said to be planning a further expansion of its “Islamic Emirate” by seizing Mukallah, the regional capital of Hadramaut. Earlier, Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for a string of attacks in Yemen, including an assault on soldiers that left scores dead in the southern province of Abyan as well the bombing of a military plane in al-Dalaimi air force base in Sana'a, the capital. In a statement posted on several jihadi websites, AQAP claimed Abyan operation against Dofes and Kud bases saying, on Sunday, ‘the mujahedeen carried out a series of operations against government forces deployed at the entrances of Zinjibar,' the regional capital of the Abyan province. The extremists claimed that ‘around 100 soldiers and officers were killed while 12 others were wounded and 73 held captive' in the assault. The statement also demanded the Yemeni government release militants were held in exchange for the lives of the 73 soldiers they hold. On its Wednesday's statement, AQAP claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on security forces across the war-torn and often lawless south and southeast regions. This new wave of violence and attacks comes amidst renewed threats against the American Language Institute in Aden, AMIDEAST as reported previously on Bikyamasr.com. ShortURL: http://goo.gl/MzDgf Tags: Al Qaeda, Claims, Territory, Yemen Section: International, Latest News, Yemen
