Al Qaida explosive expert captured

Arrest part of a string of raids on Al Qaida hideouts in Abyan province of Yemen

An Al Qaida explosives expert was captured in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan during a raid on his house on Wednesday, local media and residents said yesterday.

Media reports said that security forces stormed the house of Al Khedher Ahmad Hussain on Wednesday in Al Ain town and arrested him.

The man was identified as an experienced bomb maker who produced Al Qaida explosive devices used in attacks on government and military targets in the province.

A current string of raids on Al Qaida hideouts in the province of Abyan is part of an offensive in the province that started earlier this month.

Cleansing the province

The aim is to province of Al Daesh militants.

The troops, trained and armed by the UAE, have captured several Al Qaida and Daesh commanders and chased the militants to their safe haven in the Abyan’s rural areas.

Residents who talked to Gulf News on Wednesday said that government forces have cleanse Qaida

the and brought back peace and stability to many regions that have long been wracked by disorder.

Mohammad Ahmad, a local resistance fighter from a small village in Abyan’s Moudea district, said that checkpoints are everywhere in the province and Al Qaida militants who escaped from security services’ crackdown are hiding in unpopulated valleys in Abyan province.

“Security is excellent nowadays. Security forces should stay here for good. We fear that Al Qaida might come back if they leave,” he said, adding that residents are now more responsive with security apparatus and alert them about militants when they spring up in their areas.