[Yemen Post] Ansar Al-Sharia, an al-Qaeda linked group, in Abyan...a governorate of Yemen. The region was a base to the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army terrorist group until it dropped the name and joined al-Qaeda. Its capital is Zinjibar. In March 2011, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula declared the governate an
Islamic Emirateafter seizing control of the region. The New York Times fastidiously reported that those in control, while Islamic hard boyz, are not in fact al-Qaeda, but something else that looks, tastes, smells, and acts the same. Yemeni government forces launched an effort to re-establish control of the region when President-for-Life Saleh was tossed and the carnage continues...
has offered to release hostages including a Swiss woman in return for stopping the military offensive against its strongholds in Zinjibar and Jaar of Abyan, military sources have revealed.
The sources said the military leadership refused the offer, and warned Al-Qaeda gunnies against the life of the Saudi diplomat, Abdullah Al-Khalidi, and the Swiss teacher, Sylvia Abrahat.
It asked the gunnies to unconditionally release all civilians and troops held by the group, the sources added.
They said that delay of victory in Zinjibar and Jaar is attributed to difficulties on the ground, pointing out thon the lam numbers of al-Qaeda snipers deployed in difficult terrain.
They anticipated that Zinjibar and Jaar will be completely cleansed from the gunnies within three days as a maximum.
Military sources said that the army killed dozens of gunnies on Saturday, indicating that most the killed were foreign nationals.
In a statement, the Defense Ministry said four soldiers were killed and four others were maimed, citing that some areas of Zinjibar become free of the gunnies ant thon the lam quantities of Al-Qaeda's weapons including gun machines and shells were taken over by the army.
Military sources said the army has advanced deep into Zinjibar, the town fell last year to al-Qaeda as it took advantage of political turmoil to extend their control over much of the south.
According to a tally compiled by AFP, 332 people have been killed, including 242 Al-Qaeda gunnies, 55 military personnel, 18 local faceless myrmidons and 17 civilians since the offensive began.