Al-Qaeda seize control of town in southern Yemen

The capture of Radda yesterday expanded already significant territorial conquests by the militants, who have taken advantage of the weak central government and political turmoil in Yemen over the past year.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh recently agreed to step down, but he remains a powerful force within the country and a spark for ongoing unrest.

The group had previously taken control of a string of towns in the mostly lawless south. But its capture of Radda – population 60,000 – is particularly important because it gives the militants a territorial foothold closer than ever before to the capital, where many sleeper cells of the terror network are thought to be located.

A photographer who visited Radda on Sunday said the militants were armed with rocket-propelled grenades, automatic rifles and other weapons.

“Al-Qaeda has raised its flag over the citadel,” one resident said by telephone. “Its members have spread out across the town’s neighbourhoods after pledging allegiance to [al-Qaeda leader] Ayman al-Zawahri during evening prayers (on Sunday).”

The opposition accused Mr Saleh, who is to step down this month, of allowing the militants to overrun Radda along with two other towns in Abyan province captured previously – Zinjibar and Jaar – to bolster his claims that he must remain in power to secure the country against Islamist militants.

Some tribal leaders also accused Mr Saleh of giving the “green light” to the militants to overrun the city.

“We are surprised by the silence of the security forces,” said opposition activist Abel-Rahman al-Rashid, who lives in Radda.

“They have not moved, which only means that this is all arranged to spark chaos.”

According to security officials, a band of about 200 militants pushed into Radda yesterday from several points they had captured over the weekend.

Two soldiers and were killed nad another wounded in clashes with the militants, who also seized weapon caches and vehicles from security headquarters.