Yemen says a senior leader of the country's Al-Qaeda branch was killed during a battle in the south of the country this week.
A statement from Yemen's Defense Ministry said on July 21 that Ayed al-Shabwani was killed on July 19 near the town of Zinjibar, a provincial capital that has been held by Al-Qaeda-linked militants since May.
The statement said one of his cousins, Awad al-Shabwani, was also killed in the fighting on the same day. The ministry gave no further details.
Al-Qaeda in Yemen has been taking advantage of the turmoil arising from months of anti-regime protests across much of the poor Arab nation, seizing and holding territory in the south.
Al-Qaeda's growing presence in Yemen has been a source of concern to the United States and Yemen's neighbors in the Gulf.
compiled from agency reports
A statement from Yemen's Defense Ministry said on July 21 that Ayed al-Shabwani was killed on July 19 near the town of Zinjibar, a provincial capital that has been held by Al-Qaeda-linked militants since May.
The statement said one of his cousins, Awad al-Shabwani, was also killed in the fighting on the same day. The ministry gave no further details.
Al-Qaeda in Yemen has been taking advantage of the turmoil arising from months of anti-regime protests across much of the poor Arab nation, seizing and holding territory in the south.
Al-Qaeda's growing presence in Yemen has been a source of concern to the United States and Yemen's neighbors in the Gulf.
compiled from agency reports
