Yemeni government kills suspected Al Qaeda chief

Yemeni security forces killed a suspected local Al Qaeda chief yesterday in a gun battle inside his house in the southern province of Abyan, security officials have announced.

One policeman also died and another was wounded after troops stormed the residence of the suspect identified as, Abdullah Hubaibat, on the outskirts of the town of Loder.

Two other militant suspects were wounded in the fight, while a third was arrested, the sources said.

The security forces further disclosed that they arrested an alleged Al-Qaeda operative, Abu Osama al-Yassiri, after raiding his home in Al-Wadeei directorate in Abyan.

Government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition entered Abyan’s capital Zinjibar last month and recaptured other towns across the province.

Abyan fell to Al Qaeda in March 2011 and since then there have been sporadic battles to recapture it.