Abyan (South24 Center)

The Southern Armed Forces announced Tuesday that units from the First Support and Reinforcement Brigade successfully repelled a large-scale terrorist attack launched by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) targeting their headquarters inside the government complex in Al-Mahfad District, Abyan Governorate, South Yemen.

Brigadier General Nasser Atef Al-Yafei, Commander of the Support and Reinforcement Brigades and the Abyan Combat Axis, said that AQAP militants targeted the compound using two explosive-laden vehicles.

He explained that Southern Forces managed to detonate the first vehicle near the main gate before engaging the attackers who attempted to infiltrate the complex.

According to Al-Yafei, five militants wearing suicide belts were killed during the confrontation, while four soldiers from the brigade were martyred while defending the site. 

He stressed that “the blood of the martyrs will not be in vain,” vowing that military operations will continue until “Abyan Governorate is completely cleansed of terrorist hideouts.”

Field sources reported that heavy clashes erupted following the explosions, prompting the deployment of additional units and the establishment of a wide security cordon around the area. 

Eyewitnesses said the twin blasts caused significant damage to several nearby buildings and shops, while Al-Mahfad General Hospital sustained partial damage.

Following the confrontation, the Southern Forces confirmed that they had regained full control of the situation, stating that all attackers were eliminated.

The attack came just two days after armed clashes erupted in Al-Wadaih District when militants attacked the headquarters of the Security Belt Forces. 

That incident followed the arrest of several cells linked to the Houthi militia, according to security sources.

AQAP militants killed in attack on Southern Forces headquarters in Al-Mahfad District, Abyan, October 21, 2025 (Southern Forces)

Tuesday’s attack is considered one of the most violent operations carried out by AQAP in Abyan in recent months. It comes amid intensified counterterrorism operations by the Southern Forces in the mountainous areas between Abyan and Shabwa as part of “Arrows of the East” Operation, aimed at dismantling extremist networks.

#BREAKING
Video documenting damage and destruction aftermath from "AQAP" organization attack with two car bombs targeting Southern Forces at government complex in Al-Mahfad, Abyan#south24pic.twitter.com/XO5qgWgEZd

— South24 | English (@South24E) October 21, 2025

The attack coincided with a widespread electricity outage in Aden and other parts of southern Yemen due to fuel shortages. 

Power cuts lasted more than 30 hours, sparking angry protests across Aden on Monday night.

On Tuesday morning, sources at Aden Electricity Corporation reported that one of the main power stations had been supplied with diesel. Once operational, the 90-megawatt solar power plant is expected to resume service, gradually restoring electricity to the city.