Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Sunday (December 25th) visited the Hadramaut provincial capital of al-Mukalla in his first trip to the city since Yemeni and coalition forces retook it from al-Qaeda in April, AFP reported.
During their visit to the port city, Hadi and Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher met political and military officials from across the province, an official said.
Hadi praised efforts to "eradicate the forces of evil and terrorism" and bring "security and stability" back to al-Mukalla, and stressed the need to "tighten our ranks to meet the challenges we face" from al-Qaeda, local media reported.
A local official on Sunday survived an assassination attempt in Shibam, around 100 kilometres north of al-Mukalla, in an attack security sources blamed on al-Qaeda.
Faraj Neji survived an ambush but two of his guards were killed.
Meanwhile, in Shabwa, three armed tribesmen were killed in an ambush by fighters belonging to the Yemeni branch of al-Qaeda, security officials said.
