Al-Qaeda overrun police headquarters in southern Yemen

Al-Qaeda terrorists have taken control of a police headquarters in southern Yemen, amid the chaos that has gripped the country following the onset of Saudi Arabia’s deadly aggression.

The terrorists on Saturday overran the headquarters in Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan Province, after forces supporting the former president of Yemen, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, reportedly escaped the area.

The terrorists have been in control of other government buildings in Zinjibar for weeks while retaining a large presence in the nearby town of Jaar. They have also taken control of the town of Azzan in Shabwa Province and seized the towns of Shoqra and Ahwar, which enable them to completely control the coast road between their stronghold city of Mukalla in the southeast and Zinjibar.

Zinjibar is located about 50 km from Yemen's major city of Aden, which houses elements of Yemen’s former government after the capital, Sana’a, was taken by the Ansarullah movement’s fighters in September 2014.

Over 8,270 people, among them more than 2,230 children, have been killed and some 16,000 others injured since. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country’s infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

SS