Yemeni provincial governor survives assassination bid

By Shukri Hussein

ADEN, Yemen (AA) - Abu Bakr Hussein Salem, governor of Yemen’s southern Abyan province, survived an assassination attempt by unknown attackers, Salem told Anadolu Agency on Friday.

"Gunmen opened fire on my convoy near the Duvas region between the provinces of Abyan and Aden," he said.

The attack, the governor added, occurred late Thursday while he was on his way to the southern city of Aden, which currently serves as Yemen’s provisional capital.

“One of my guards was slightly injured in the attack and was taken to a nearby hospital in Aden," Salem said.

He went on to assert that such “cowardly acts” would “not deter us [i.e., the Yemeni government] from fulfilling our responsibility to impose security and stability in Abyan -- whatever the cost”.

Salem refrained from accusing any parties or groups of being behind the assassination attempt, but said certain “outlawed groups” were unhappy with his recent efforts to impose security in the area.

Along with serving as provincial governor, Salem is also a major-general in the Yemeni army and has played an active role fighting the Shia Houthi militia, which overran much of the country -- including capital Sanaa -- in 2014.

Salem was appointed Abyan governor by presidential decree last month.