South Yemen has become increasingly restive. Suspected al Qaeda militants in Aden are targeting military officials more regularly and reinforcements arrived in Abyan for Ansar al Sharia, an al Qaeda-linked militant group.

A local Yemeni official in Aden reported that two gunmen killed a senior Yemeni security police officer, Colonel Abdulhakim Mohammed Ali al Qadhi, in Cairo neighborhood Wednesday. Security officials in Aden arrested five suspected al Qaeda militants in Sheikh Othman district. The militants are believed to be part of the terrorist cell in the city targeting military officials.

Yemeni army shelling in Zinjibar killed at least seven al Qaeda-linked militants Wednesday. A local army officer reported that three Pakistani and two African militants were among the dead and that vehicles used by the militants were also destroyed. Local residents in Jaar, north of Zinjibar, reported the new arrival of dozens of militants Tuesday.

Protesters marched in Sana’a and Taiz calling on the Arab League to impose sanctions on the Yemeni government and suspend Yemen’s membership from the organization. There are reports of “significant” military deployments in Sana’a by both pro- and anti-government forces.