Shabwa (South24 Center)

A soldier from the Southern Armed Forces was killed and another wounded on Wednesday, July 9, when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated, targeting a military vehicle belonging to the 6th Sa'iqa Brigade in Shabwa governorate, South Yemen.

According to ‘Dir Al-Janoub (Southern Shield), the media outlet of the Southern Forces, the explosion occurred on a secondary road in the Al-Masaina area of Al-Saeed district. The IED, allegedly planted by suspected Al-Qaeda (AQAP) elements, targeted a military patrol en route to one of the brigade's positions.

A military source told the outlet that the blast killed one soldier instantly, while the other was hospitalized with injuries described as moderate.

Following the incident, Southern Armed Forces units launched security operations and combing campaigns in the area to track down the perpetrators. They affirmed their commitment to continuing preemptive operations against terrorist groups attempting to destabilize southern regions.

Areas in Shabwa and Abyan continue to witness similar incidents periodically, indicating ongoing extremist activity despite sustained security campaigns.

Since August 2022, Southern Forces have managed to expel Al-Qaeda (AQAP) from key strongholds in Abyan governorate as part of ‘Operation Arrows of the East’, which later expanded to include the geographically connected Shabwa governorate.

In response to this campaign, Al-Qaeda (AQAP) announced ‘Operation Arrows of Truth’, attempting to halt the Southern Forces’ advance through landmines, IEDs, and direct fire attacks by its operatives.