Terrorism

Al-Mahfad tribal leaders band together against al-Qaeda

By Nabil Abdullah al-Tamimi in Aden

Yemeni government forces walk in Zinjibar the capital of the southern Abyan province on August 16th, 2016 following an offensive backed by coalition airstrikes to recapture the city from al-Qaeda extremists. [Saleh al-Obeidi/AFP]

Yemeni government forces walk in Zinjibar the capital of the southern Abyan province on August 16th, 2016 following an offensive backed by coalition airstrikes to recapture the city from al-Qaeda extremists. [Saleh al-Obeidi/AFP]

Dignitaries from the leading tribe of al-Mahfad district in Yemen's Abyan province announced Sunday (February 17th) they stand united against al-Qaeda after a string of attacks that killed many of the tribe's youth, local media reported.

In their meeting on Sunday, dignitaries from the Bakzam tribe, whose members are heavily concentrated in al-Mahfad, denounced al-Qaeda's attacks against the district's tribal residents and UAE-backed Security Belt Forces.

They issued a joint statement calling on all families who hail from the Bakzam tribe to "close ranks and fight the dangerous scourge that is al-Qaeda in al-Mahfad district".

The attendees condemned the group's attacks against the district's youth, according to the statement, pointing to a February 13th attack against the Security Belt Forces, in which three soldiers who are members of the Bakzam tribe were killed.

Engaging al-Qaeda elements' families

"The tribal leaders decided to form a committee to talk to the families of al-Qaeda elements to persuade their sons to renounce the group and return to the right path," al-Mahfad director-general Ahmed al-Rabie told Al-Mashareq.

If these elements refuse to do so, punitive measures will be taken against their families as a way to pressure them, he said.

"We have become tired of the recurrent attacks on the security personnel who hail from al-Mahfad tribes," he said, "so the tribes decided to take steps in support of the state’s counter-terrorism measures."

"It is no longer acceptable that a tribesman who belongs to al-Qaeda would target the security forces, while his family enjoys security and stability among us," al-Rabie said.

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What does the family have to do with the person himself? Each one has their own opinion and point of view.

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