Sanaa (ANTARA News/AFP) - Security forces on Thursday arrested a "dangerous" Al-Qaeda chief in southern Yemen who took part in several attacks, state news agency Saba reported.

The agency, citing police, said Suleiman Hassan Mohammed Morshad Awadh, also known as Abu Ussama al-Abiye, was "one of the most dangerous members of Al-Qaeda and involved in several terrorist operations."

Awadh, whose name figured on a wanted list, was arrested in Zinjibar, capital of Abyan province, it said, without giving details.

Before a counter-offensive by the army earlier this year, Al-Qaeda held large swathes of southern Yemen. But since its loss of a string of towns near the port city of Aden in June, most have fled into desert regions farther east.

Although weakened, they continue to launch hit-and-run attacks on government and civilian targets across Yemen.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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