Yemeni security forces kill 2 Al-Qaeda leaders in Abyan

A Yemeni fighter loyal to the Saudi-backed Yemeni president stands next to an army Toyota pickup truck as it lies in hole on the road leading to Khaled Ibn Al-Walid base, 30 kilometres (20 miles) east of the government-held Red Sea port town of Mokha, on April 15, 2017. (AFP)

Two leaders of Al-Qaeda in Yemen were killed on Thursday after a security raid was carried out by Yemeni forces in the province of Abyan.

The security sources said that the leaders of al-Qaeda in Yemen, Murad Abdullah Mohammed al-Doubli, nicknamed “Abu Hamza al-Batani” and Hassan Baasrei were killed after a raid by security forces in the Al-Qaeda strong hold.

Also known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or AQAP, are primarily active in Yemen. The U.S government believes AQAP to be the most dangerous al-Qaeda branch.