[Yemen Post] Militant groups believed to be linked with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) clashed with government forces on Sunday in the southern restive province of Abyan, local sources said.The thug groups of Ansar al-Sharia
...a Yemeni Islamist militia which claims it is not part of al-Qaeda, even though it works about the same and for the same ends...
, AQAP offshoot in the country, were involved Sunday morning in fighting among themselves, leaving some of them maimed, according to the local sources.
Local media reported on Sunday that two faceless myrmidons were maimed when the various groups of Ansar al-Sharia were setting a checkpoint in Moudia district of Abyan.
Yemen-based al-Qaeda wing has expanded its foothold in the southern and southeastern restive provinces of the country, taking an advantage of the distracted government.
In unrelated incident on Saturday evening, AQAP faceless myrmidons managed to assassinate a senior intelligence commander in the southern restive province of Lahj.
Major Kamal al-Shwal was killed when al-Qaeda faceless myrmidons in Lahj ambushed his convoy, a security source told Yemen Post on condition of anonymity.
After killing him, they clashed with army forces in downtown Lahj city, the source said, adding that the group attempted to seize control of the city, but when it found firm resistance, they bravely ran away.
AQAP has stepped up its liquidations and attacks on security and army officials as of late, and so far it managed to assassinate at least dozens of high-ranking commanders of the security and army institutions, especially from intelligence departments.