Al-Qaeda Frees Hundreds of Inmates while Storming Yemen Prison

The offensive comes against the background of a Saudi-led airstrike campaign on Houthi rebels' positions across the country, mostly in the capital Sanaa and in Aden. Photo by BGNES

Al-Qaeda fighters have liberated several hundreds of prisoners of a jail they have stormed in Southeastern Yemen, officials suggest.

Al-Mukhalla residents' accounts cited by the New York Times reveal that Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Arabian Peninsula (acting  in Yemen) has begun its first large operation since Saudi Arabia and various Arab countries embarked on a major offensive into Yemen aimed at overthrowing the Houthi regime that has ousted the country's president, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

It seems that security compounds in the port city have also been targets of last hours' attacks.

During its raid on the prison Al-Qaeda has freed Khalid Batarfi, a senior figure in the group, and other high-profile members., according to Al-Jazeera English.

The TV station puts the number of freed prisoners at 300.

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