ISIS-claimed Aden attack kills 35

Yemeni forces ended a hostage crisis Monday (November 6th) with 29 police and six civilians dead, a day after the attack claimed by the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) began with suicide bombings, AFP reported.

The attack began on Sunday, when two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the entrances to the criminal investigations unit and the city's security headquarters.

Assailants stormed the criminal investigations unit in Khormaksar district in Aden, the Yemeni government's de facto capital, setting it alight and taking hostages after killing two policewomen execution-style.

Overnight, the security forces tried three times to seize back the unit, but each time a suicide bomber blew himself up, stopping them from entering, a security official said.

A fourth suicide bombing occurred on Monday morning, before the security forces finally brought an end to the standoff in the southern port city.

A total of 29 members of the security forces were killed during the attack and hostage crisis, the official said.

Among them were six police officers whose bodies were found buried under the rubble of the building along with six civilians, including two children.

"The security forces have managed to enter the building and clear it of the elements of evil and terrorism," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The bullet-riddled bodies of three assailants were also found in the rubble, the security official said.

The attack was claimed by ISIS in a statement released online on Sunday.

Aden's Security Directorate said in a statement that the terror elements executed a number of employees, and took others as hostage -- including cleaning workers and prisoners -- whom they used as human shields.

This forced the security forces to change their attack plan and surround the site, the statement said.

"The terrorists took advantage of the situation and carried out sniper attacks, killing a number of security elements while using the hostages as human shields," it said.

The directorate said explosive experts managed to dismantle another vehicle rigged with explosives outside the gate of the security headquarters.

Wide condemnations

The attack has been widely condemned by officials and citizens alike.

Prime Minister Ahmad Obaid bin Dagher strongly denounced the attack and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

He said in a phone call with acting Aden Governor Ahmed Salmeen that the government is pressing on with efforts to uproot terrorism and drain its sources.

He stressed the need to ramp up security and crack down on the terrorist cells that seek to disrupt the security and stability of citizens.

Minister of Human Rights Mohammed Askar strongly condemned the "cowardly suicide attack" in Khormaksar, according to local media.

"I strongly condemn the cowardly, suicidal attack which targeted the criminal investigations unit building in which dozens of our heroes in Aden security were killed and wounded," he said.

"We condemn this heinous attack which was carried out by terrorist elements with the aim of disrupting security and peace in Aden province," Aden's deputy for projects Ghassan al-Zamki told Al-Mashareq.

"However, terrorism will not be able to stop the development process in Aden, and will not subdue the people of Aden," he said.

With the vigilance of security elements and its residents, Aden will get rid of terrorist gangs, he added.

Meanwhile, Nasser al-Faadani, former secretary-general of Khormaksar's local council, said terror elements have attacked Aden with the aim of disrupting peace.

"I strongly condemn this attack and all criminal terrorist acts because they bring nothing but destruction and devastation," he told Al-Mashareq.

"Islam is a religion of building, peace and co-existence, not a religion of destruction and murder," Deputy Minister of Religious Endowments and Guidance Sheikh Jabri Ibrahim said.

"Islam prohibits the killing of one soul, how then about killing dozens and using them as hostages in a terrorist operation that has no goal?" he told Al-Mashareq.

Aliaa Mohammed, a private sector employee in her 30s, described Aden the night of the attack as "sad and dark".

"Aden is living a very sad and dark night as a result of the number of victims in the terrorist attack and the spread of panic and fear across the city," she said.

"We now panic every time we hear a sound or noise thinking that something is happening," she said.