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Al Qaeda operates throughout Abyan government. Suspected al Qaeda militants ambushed a military convoy near Lawder in Abyan governorate, where al Qaeda has a stronghold. Ten Yemeni soldiers were killed. Clashes continue near the military base in Zinjibar, where al Qaeda-linked militants have gained control of the city.
Widespread political unrest continues. The UN mission to Yemen warned that civilians should not become “victims of collective punishment because of the power struggle” in the country. Taiz residents reported shelling in the city and sporadic fighting is occurring. At least one person was killed when a bus was hit. In the western port city of Hudaydah, forty people were wounded when Central Security Forces used live bullets to disperse protestors.
The political impasse in Sana’a remains. Yemen’s acting president submitted a new transition plan to the opposition, which permitted President Ali Abdullah Saleh to remain in power while a transitional government oversaw elections. The opposition seeks Saleh’s immediate resignation.
The Yemeni state is undergoing fragmentation as al Qaeda-linked militants seize control of the south. The current situation has increased al Qaeda's operating space in Yemen.
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