Hadramaut elite forces deploy in Duaan district

A state of emergency is in force in Wadi Hadramaut's Duaan district following a series of al-Qaeda attacks, and the Hadramaut elite forces have deployed in the area, local officials tell Al-Mashareq.

In a joint statement issued on May 8th, the 2nd Military Zone command and the Duaan local authority announced that a state of emergency and an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew had gone into immediate effect.

The statement called on people to report any suspicious activity or unidentified armed elements in order to help stabilise the security situation in the district.

Large scale army reinforcements from the provincial capital of al-Mukalla arrived in Duaan the same day and set up headquarters in one of the military camps.

The deployment of elite forces comes amid a series of al-Qaeda attacks.

On May 10th, "terrorists attacked a military checkpoint within the security belt in Duaan in which the forces are deployed, killing one soldier and wounding three others", Duaan district director Ahmed Omar Bamis told Al-Mashareq.

On May 4th, al-Qaeda bombed a Duaan district building used as a general security centre, and in March, the security centre in al-Dliaah district was bombed and four army soldiers were killed in an attack on a military checkpoint.

Reinforcing security along the coast

Expanding the elite forces' activity to include the coastal district of Duaan "is an excellent step towards consolidating security and stability", Hadramaut province deputy governor Mohammed al-Amoudi told Al-Mashareq.

"The deployment of the forces in Duaan district came to reinforce the security belt around the coastal districts," he said.

The Hadramaut elite forces came to Duaan "to maintain security and stability and consolidate public peace", district director Bamis said, adding that the force has been highly successful in coastal districts.

"Their assumption of military and security duties fills us with optimism, particularly with respect to the fight against terrorism," he said.

It was necessary to expand the elite force's area of operations due to the poor security situation in Duaan, where there have been multiple attacks on military posts and checkpoints, said political affairs researcher Adnan al-Humairi.

"The elite forces gained experience in fighting terrorism in al-Mukalla and neighbouring districts, and this will enhance [their chances of] success in their new mission in Duaan district," he told Al-Mashareq.

He noted the elite forces' success in liberating al-Mukalla from al-Qaeda, subsequent successes in arresting al-Qaeda leaders and elements, and the recent seizure of an al-Qaeda weapons cache in the city of al-Shahar.

"Citizens' co-operation with the elite forces and their reporting of anything suspicious will help the elite forces in carrying out their tasks and safeguard their security and stability," al-Humairi said.