Written By: Zaid al-Alaya’a
YEMEN – Anwar al-Awlaki’s house was not demolished by the Yemeni army air strike that targeted al-Qaeda in Shabwah province last Thursday as his house is 50 kilometers from the attacked area, a close family relative told the Yemen Observer today on a phone interview.
The close family relative who spoke in the condition of being anonymous told the Observer that the strike hit the area of Rafadh district, and Anwar al-Awlaki’s house is in Suaeed district.
“Anwar al-Awalki was not in the meeting that took place in Shabwah and was not in the area. He has some ideologies yes, but he is not with al-Qeada and has never been involved with them in any way. He is alive and safe,” said Anwar al-Awlaki’s close relative.
The strike took place in as dozens of militants gathered in the presence of terrorists Nasser al-Wahaishi and Saeed al-Shahari, a Saudi national.
Al-Wahaishi is assumed to have escaped the air raids. This air strike comes after the appearance of Bin Omair who was confirmed dead in the strike, on al-Jazeera, speaking publicly in Abyan. After the Abyan air raid, al-Qaeda moved from Abyan to Shabwah.
At least 30 suspected al-Qaeda militants have been killed in air strikes in Yemen’s Shabwah province, said a source in the supreme security committee on Thursday.
The 30 dead are assumed included Yemeni, foreign and senior commanders of al-Qaeda members.
Al-Qaeda suspected militants have gathered in the area to plan and carry out several terror attacks against vital Yemeni and foreign interests and economic facilities, in addition to planning to target military and security leaders as a retaliation against the successful pre-emptive security operations launched last week against the al-Qaeda organization in the Arhab district in the capital Sana’a and Abyan province of which led to killing of 34 al-Qaeda militants and arresting of 29 others.
