300 Militants of the Somali Al-Shabab Movement arrived in Yemen to fight with Al-Qaeda Yemeni Interior Ministry has said 300 militants of the Somali Al-Shabab Movement arrived in Yemen to fight with Al-Qaeda linked group Ansar Al-Sharia (Supporters of the Islamic law) against the Yemeni security and military services, as a motorcycle bomb exploded on Sunday while two suicide bombers were riding.
In its website, the ministry said security services seized four Somalis in Abyan governorates, pointing out that they are suspected of affiliating to Al-Qaeda.
It said that the seized Somalis at ages of 25-32, indicating that arrived in Yemen on March 2.
Close sources to Al-Qaeda in Yemen denies to ‘Arabstoday’ what was reported about the arrival of 300 Somali militants.
Residents in Abyan confirmed the arrival of more than 300 Somalis to Shaqera a coastal town over the past two months, confirming fears that the 2 networks would be working as partners.
Connections between Ansar al-Sahriah militants in Yemen and al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia have taken place in the past. Al-Shabaab has bought weapons and explosives from Al-Qaeda contacts in Yemen using money issued from piracy and kidnap-for-ransom schemes.
The current unrest in both countries, Yemen and Somalia allowed the two groups to move freely across one another borders.
A report published last year, stated that the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had provided weapons, fighters and training with explosives to a militant Islamic group battling for power in Somalia.
The report stated that the leaders of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen also have urged members of the hard-line al-Shabaab militia to attack targets outside Africa for the first time.
Within the same context, security services of Mudia district of Abyan said that a motorcycle bomb exploded on Sunday while two suicide bombers were riding, hinting that their bodies were scattered to pieces.
The two men were identified by the ministry as Yasser and Muneef al-Hawi. The statement said they were killed in the Mudiyah district of Abyan province, where Al-Qaeda militants have seized control of territory.
"The bodies of the two were ripped apart in the explosion, which happened before they were able to execute their attack," the ministry said in the statement posted on its website.
It gave no further details on whether the men were associated with al Qaeda.
The Yemeni Marine forces declared a state of alert and preparation to confront any terrorist acts of Al-Qaeda.
Commander of the Marine forces Rowais Mujawar urged the marine forces to unite their ranks and vividly repel any attempts or plans of Al-Qaeda.
Yemen witnessed an increase of the violent acts that are carried out by Al-Qaeda militants. More than 185 Yemenis were killed in Al-Qaeda attack on some military positions of Abyan.
The Yemeni army launched strikes on Friday against the strongholds of Al-Qaeda in Abyan and Al-Badha, killing at least 40 militants.
While Yemeni officials said the strikes were carried out by Yemeni air-fighters, locals of Abyan said the raids were carried out by US aircrafts, pointing out that they heard sounds of drones before the strikes.
Several families have fled Abyan, seeking refuge in nearby villages, fearful of the increasing clashes between Al-Qaeda militants and the military.