Report: Al-Qaeda group seizes Yemeni provincial capital

May 28, 2011, 23:03 GMT

Sana'a/Cairo - A Yemeni provincial capital has fallen to an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, a Yemeni news website reported Saturday.

Citing a security officer speaking on condition of anonymity, the Yemen Observer said that Zinjubar, the seat of Abyan province, was seized by armed members of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a Yemeni-based affiliate of the global terrorist network al-Qaeda.

The militants took control of government installations and most districts Friday in the city, which is 400 kilometres east of the Yemeni capital Sana'a and 80 kilometres east of the key southern Yemeni port of Aden.

'Al-Qaeda took over the province, the security, the rescue police and other key headquarters,' the security officer was quoted as saying.

Abyan Governor Ahmed al-Misari was described as trapped inside his residence outside Zinjubar.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been highly active in Abyan province since the outbreak in February of unrest against embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh, reportedly killing dozens of government troops in fighting during the last three months.

The use of force by the government against street protests has turned increasingly deadly in recent weeks.

The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), Yemen's main opposition bloc, issued a statement accusing Saleh of knowing allowing al-Qaeda militants to seize Zinjubar, in an attempt to convince Western powers that his rule is necessary to keep the terrorist group at bay.