5 killed in suicide bomb attack south of Yemen

SANAA, Yemen

Five people were killed in a suicide bomb attack Tuesday in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan, according to a local security source.

The attack targeted the convoy of Abdul Latif al-Sayed, commander of the Security Belt Forces (SBF) in Abyan, the source said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

“The explosion took place as al-Sayed was on his way to the provincial capital (Zinjibar)," the source added.
The SBF are affiliated with Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates.

The source said three of those killed were SBF members.

The other two were the attackers, who were hiding in the vicinity of the explosion site, and were shot dead by SBF forces guarding al-Sayed after a brief fire exchange, the source added.

He suspected the attackers belonged to al-Qaeda terrorist group.

Five other SBF forces were also injured in the attack.

In a statement following the bomb attack, al-Sayed said such attacks on SBF will increase the forces’ “cohesion, strength, will and determination."

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

This was the third time al-Sayed has been a target of an assassination attempt.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar