About 300 members of the terrorist organization Al Qaeda took Zinjibar Yemeni city and declared the capital of the "Islamic Emirate", a term used during the Islamic regime established by the Taliban when they took Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan in 1996. A local official said the fighters of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP, in English) took Zinjibar on Friday.
The reports could be verified until yesterday because of government restrictions on foreign media. Opponents of President Ali Abdullah Saleh accused him of allowing the entry of militants to the city of more than 19 thousand inhabitants. The president recently said that insecurity in the country could cause the fall in the hands of Al Qaeda in several provinces of South and East.
Zinjibar is the capital of Abyan and is located about 280 km from Sana'a, the capital of the country. Saleh, 21 years in office, refuses to leave power and has cracked down heavily on those who speak against his regime. Human rights organizations estimate that about 300 people have been killed by the regime.
In an attempt to retake the city, civilians clashed yesterday to members of Al Qaeda with killing six people, three from each side. Between Friday and Saturday killed 18 people in similar fighting, according to medical sources. 
The reports could be verified until yesterday because of government restrictions on foreign media. Opponents of President Ali Abdullah Saleh accused him of allowing the entry of militants to the city of more than 19 thousand inhabitants. The president recently said that insecurity in the country could cause the fall in the hands of Al Qaeda in several provinces of South and East.
Zinjibar is the capital of Abyan and is located about 280 km from Sana'a, the capital of the country. Saleh, 21 years in office, refuses to leave power and has cracked down heavily on those who speak against his regime. Human rights organizations estimate that about 300 people have been killed by the regime.
In an attempt to retake the city, civilians clashed yesterday to members of Al Qaeda with killing six people, three from each side. Between Friday and Saturday killed 18 people in similar fighting, according to medical sources.
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