Yemeni Jets Bomb Town Held by Al-Qaeda

Yemen’s air force launched attacks on a southern city held by al-Qaeda and other Islamic militants on Monday, a day after they took it over, according to media reports.

Residents told Reuters that jet fighters belonging to Saleh’s military strafed militants hit them, as well as buildings, with bombs in the southern town of Zinjibar. The town had been taken over by militants over the weekend. At least 13 were killed in the bombing run.

“The city is devastated. All of its residents have left. Even the dogs, animals, and donkeys have abandoned it,” an opposition member named Ali told the news agency.

On Sunday, several opposition generals, including including the president’s former military adviser and half-brother, Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, accused Saleh of giving up Zinjibar to stoke fears among officials in the United States and in other Western countries that al-Qaeda will take over if Saleh does not stick around.

At the onset of the protests in Yemen, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed concern over the liklihood that al-Qaeda would run amok during the protests, which pose the most serious threat to Saleh’s rule since he took power 32 years ago.

The al-Qaeda branch, known as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has retained a strong presence in the country located on the southern portion of the Arabian Peninsula.

Meanwhile, government security forces fired on anti-government protesters in Taiz, near the port city Mocha on the Red Sea, reported Al Jazeera television.

The protests have caused division among Saleh’s regime and army as some defectors headed over to the other side, backing the anti-government protesters and tribal forces. Last week, fighting between Saleh’s forces and tribal troops raged in the capital, Sana’a.

{etRelated 56927)Saleh has sent mixed messages to protesters and opponents throughout the protests. Just more than a week ago, he was about to sign a Gulf-brokered deal to have him step down but he withdrew at the last minute, saying the country would become more unstable if he were to resign.