ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A bomb explosion hit a vehicle of Yemen's government forces on Monday in the country's southern province of Abyan, killing at least two soldiers and wounding five others, a military official told Xinhua.
The bomb was planted by Yemen-based al-Qaida militants on the roadside in Mudiyah district and detonated with a remote-controlled device, killing two soldiers on the military vehicle, the local military official said on condition of anonymity, adding four others and an officer were critically injured.
In recent months, many areas in Abyan, a region seen as a long-time hotbed of militant activity, have witnessed a dramatic increase in terror attacks against government forces, as the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other extremist groups have a strong presence in the turbulent province.
In November 2022, military units of the Southern Transitional Council, which is a part of the Yemeni government, announced that they were launching "a qualitative anti-terror operation and succeeded in raiding a key hideout of al-Qaida in Abyan and Shabwa."
Al-Qaida militants hiding out in rocky terrains and mountainous areas of Abyan and other neighboring provinces including Shabwa frequently use hit-and-run tactics against Yemeni government forces.
The AQAP network has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia to expand its presence in the war-ravaged Arab country. It has carried out many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country's southern provinces. ■
