Heavy al-Qaeda Attack on Southern Transitional Council Base in al-Mahfad, Yemen
A major assault by al-Qaeda militants targeted the 1st Logistics Support Brigade base of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in al-Mahfad district, Abyan province. The attack left four STC fighters dead and 14 wounded. Parts of the base and the local government building were also damaged.
The operation involved two vehicles—one of them a suicide car bomb. Following the explosion, al-Qaeda’s inghimasi (shock) fighters stormed the base and engaged in armed clashes. Five al-Qaeda members were reportedly killed in the firefight.
Al-Mahfad, though under STC control, remains heavily influenced by al-Qaeda, with many local armed men being former members of the group.
This marks one of the largest al-Qaeda attacks on STC positions in recent years and represents a significant escalation. After Ansar Allah cleared al-Qaeda from provinces like al-Jawf, al-Bayda, and Marib, the group’s operations have largely shifted toward confronting the STC. Previous attacks were mostly limited to IEDs, bomb-throwing, sniper fire, or drone use—but today’s assault was broader and more coordinated, delivering a serious blow to STC forces.
The motive behind the attack appears linked to the STC’s recent crackdowns in Abyan and the expulsion of local armed factions from al-Mahfad from its ranks.
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