Aden (South24 Center) 

Nine soldiers from the Southern Forces were killed and wounded on Wednesday (January 21) in a car bomb attack targeting the convoy of the Commander of the Second Brigade of the Southern Giants Forces, Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri, while it was passing through the Ja’oula area north of the capital, Aden, according to security and local sources cited by South24 Center.

Security sources said the explosion killed two soldiers and wounded five others from the convoy’s escorts in an initial toll, after a car bomb parked near the roadside detonated as the convoy passed.

A spokesperson for Aden Police said security forces rushed to the scene, cordoned off the area, imposed strict security measures, evacuated the wounded to nearby hospitals, and launched an investigation into the circumstances of the attack.

Police clarified that although the Ja’oula area is geographically connected to northern Aden, it falls administratively within the jurisdiction of Lahj Governorate, stressing the importance of accuracy in media reporting and avoiding incorrect attribution of incidents to Aden when they occur outside its administrative boundaries.

Video footage circulating online showed several military vehicles completely burned and destroyed by the blast, which was described as powerful.

#BREAKING

A video documents the complete burning and destruction of military vehicles following the car bomb explosion in the Ja'oula area, North of #Aden#south24 pic.twitter.com/XyJG4h3zXB

— South24 | English (@South24E) January 21, 2026

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, and security authorities have not disclosed further details regarding the perpetrators or how the bombing was carried out.

#BREAKING

New field footage documents the aftermath of the car bomb explosion that targeted the convoy of the Southern Giants leader, Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri, in the Ja'oula area, North of Aden#south24 pic.twitter.com/zbDIizlU8D

— South24 | English (@South24E) January 21, 2026

Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri is considered one of the most prominent Southern military leaders in Lahj Governorate. He is credited with leading major operations against arms and drug smuggling networks, as well as combating organized crime and banditry gangs across the governorate and along the coastal strip linked to Bab al-Mandab.

This attack is the first of its kind in more than three years. In March 2022, a car bomb exploded in the same area, killing senior military commander Major General Thabit Jawas.

Security agencies later revealed that the operation was carried out by a terrorist cell led by Amjad Khalid, who publicly announced his alliance with the Houthis last November. Khalid has been linked to numerous bombings and assassinations in Aden and Lahj, and a death sentence has been issued against him.

In a statement, the Southern Transitional Council condemned the attack, with its spokesperson Anwar Al-Tamimi saying the bombing formed part of what he described as a broader campaign targeting Southern military leadership.

He said the attack on Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri’s convoy, along with the recent abduction of the commander of Al-Dhaba Brigade on the Hadramout coast, and what he called systematic pressure on Southern armed forces personnel, reflected coordinated efforts by hostile groups to undermine Southern security gains.

In recent years, Aden has been among the most stable cities in Yemen following security operations carried out by the Southern Forces. The city has seen growing activity by diplomatic missions, while several international organizations and UN agencies relocated there after leaving Houthi-controlled Sanaa.