Al-Qaida's revenge? Leading Yemen general killed by suicide bomber

Reuters

Major General Salem Ali Qatan's car is lifted after a suicide bomber blew himself up next to it in Aden on Monday.

ADEN -- The commander of the military in Yemen's southern region was killed in a suicide attack in Aden early Monday, medics and a security official said, after the army drove al-Qaida-linked militants from their strongholds in the area.

The bomber, who was wearing an explosives belt, targeted Major General Salem Ali Qatan as he was on his way to work, witnesses said. He was taken to hospital, where he died. A doctor said 12 people, including 9 soldiers, were wounded.


Monday's attack showed that militants have the ability to strike despite losing ground to the army, which regained control of several towns in the southern province of Abyan last week.

Yemeni analysts said the assassination bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida in Yemen, and was probably carried out in revenge for Qatan's role in the army offensive against the militants, which was launched under his supervision.

Islamist fighters, emboldened by weak central government control, went on a rampage in Yemen's south last year while former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was grappling with protests that eventually toppled him.

The United States, alarmed by the apparent strength of al-Qaida-linked group Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), has supported the Yemeni army offensive against the militants.

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Discuss this post

Whack-a-mole anyone....

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:15 AM EDT

Yumpin Yemeni.

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:18 AM EDT

now that is funny

    #1.2 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:24 AM EDT
    Reply

    good job

      Reply#2 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:19 AM EDT

      Evil people doing evil things. Terrorist the world over must be controlled.

      What a world we live in.

      Peace to everyone. I hope you all have a better day and are safe.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#3 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:50 AM EDT

      The same al-Qaida, a Sunni Saudi invention, is siding with the Syrian rebels and they want Assad out.

      We should not support Syrian rebels.

      Or else ultimately Sunni Saudi al-Qaida or some label like MB will take over Syria making the list of enemies longer by one more.

        #3.1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:22 AM EDT
        Reply

        Allah is running out of virgins.

          Reply#4 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:02 AM EDT

          You see the catch there is that in order to qualify for the virgins you have to be pure. The fact that jihadis only experience is with sheep and small boys disqualifies them. The original 72 virgins are old and wrinkled and still waiting to be handed out.

          • 5 votes
          #4.1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:49 AM EDT

          Allah is keeping the virgin business people busy in Syria, Pakistan and other places!

          All it takes to meet shortages of virgins is for one Islamic cleric, preferably a Wahhabi one, to declare/religous ruling/fatwa that boys are virgins!

          If some Saudi Islamic scholars join the chorus then boys can be married off as girls too!

          • 2 votes
          #4.2 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:27 AM EDT
          Reply

          cess pool

            Reply#5 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:36 AM EDT

            The Al-Qaida in USA AKA the obama administration hopefuly will be defeated in Nov. by patriotic voters willing to stand against tyrany.

            • 1 vote
            Reply#6 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:47 AM EDT

            7.62x39mm, I realize that you may have grievances or differences (of opinion) with the current administration but why would you suggest that they are Al-Qaida in the U.S.A? I am a Libertarian but would have to give the Obama Administration credit for taking an aggressive approach in dealing with the terrorists...They have in the past 12-16 months eliminated several senior leaders in Al Qaida - including OBL and several individuals slated to replace him. I am also curious as to what actions taken by the current leadership as tyrannical? I believe that a reasonable and prudent person would agree that the administration (prior to Obama) actually increased the governmental powers more than any other previous admin. Just consider the following legislation or actions: Patriotic Act, Extraordinary Rendition, GITMO, etc.

            • 1 vote
            #6.1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:03 AM EDT
            Reply
            WangoTangDeleted

            A pick up truck??? This general sounds like he was doing alot to help the U.S. defeat Muslim terrorists...God forbid the Pentagon supply the Yemeni Army with some armored cars and light tanks!!!

            NO FREE TRADE WITHOUT FULL EMPLOYMENT!!

              Reply#8 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:02 AM EDT

              They're saving the money for the mexicans.

                #8.1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:09 AM EDT
                Reply

                mornig news is that the terriost are in CHICAGO killing each other, and the PRESIDENT is there too help quell the violence, bet you a penny these are christians!

                  Reply#9 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:31 AM EDT

                  ron, you would be out a penny.

                    #9.1 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:14 PM EDT
                    Reply

                    Interesting bit on CNN about the Taliban/Al Queda preventing polio vaccinations unless the US stops drone attacks. A weird bunch they are, killing and ruining children's lives, who's parents are protecting the Taliban. I guess they are trying to make us feel guilty for these children's future, although bombing them isn't much of a future either. I wonder what the parents think of this? How could it not backfire on the Taliban? This is about as close as they can get to what the Nazis did.

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#10 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:08 AM EDT

                    This killing of Maj Gen Qatan is called "kissing" by "love" and "peace" people.

                    Followers of Islamic cult, especially Sunnis, are fast marching backwards to their seventh century desert tribal days of rapings, lootings, killings and genocides of non-Muslims and killing Muslims themselves for "cleaning religion".

                    Here multi-faced Saudis and Pakis are primarily guilty.

                      Reply#11 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:29 AM EDT

                      imagine how we would be living if there were not any wars to control the human population, maybe we should keep it up so there is room for the other ANIMALS!

                        Reply#12 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:53 AM EDT

                        How did this guy get next to the General's truck? Not to worry, Yemeni army. Generals and sheiks are a dime a dozen in the desert.

                          Reply#13 - Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:12 PM EDT
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