Al-Qaeda suspects kill Yemen army colonel

Government forces backed by the Arab coalition began an all-out offensive in March against jihadists in south Yemen, recapturing main cities they had held. But they later retreated from Zinjibar after Al-Qaeda militants struck back.

Jihadists have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict between the government and Huthi rebels and their allies to expand their presence in south and southeast Yemen. They are often accused by the authorities of carrying out deadly attacks targeting government officials.

The Arab coalition which backs the Yemeni government has also turned its sights on the jihadists, and the United States has pressed its drone war against them. Washington considers the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, to be the extremist network’s deadliest franchise.