A senior commander of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch was killed in armed confrontations on Friday with the Houthi militia for seizing key areas in the country's oil-rich province of Marib, a military official said.
"Ferocious fighting erupted between the Houthi rebels and some fighters belonging to al-Qaida group in the southern parts of Marib during the past several hours," the local military source said on condition of anonymity, reports Xinhua.
The clashes resulted in the killing of Ibrahim Ali al-Salafi, also known as Ammar al-San'ani, who charged the military affairs of the terrorist group, the source said.
Al-Salafi were killed while fighting beside his supports against the Houthis' continuing military advancement toward Marib, he said.
"A number of long-time strongholds of al-Qaida in Marib were also raided by the Houthi rebel fighters in recent days, sparking a major conflict," he added.
According to Yemeni officials, as the Yemen-based al-Qaida's third in command, al-Salafi's death deals a heavy setback to the terrorist group's apparent attempts to gain ground in the poorest Arab country.
The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against the newly-recruited security forces particularly in the country's southern provinces.
The AQAP has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthi militia to expand its presence in the war-ravaged Arab country.
