SHABWA — A senior Yemeni military commander was injured on Sunday during an assault by suspected Al-Qaeda militants on a checkpoint in the southern province of Shabwa. 

According to local officials, the attackers opened fire with heavy weapons, targeting a military outpost in the Al-Musenah region.

The clash resulted in the death of at least two soldiers and injuries to several others, including the commander who was overseeing operations in the area. 

Witnesses reported that the militants used rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns, destroying military vehicles before retreating into nearby terrain.

Security sources said the attack bore the hallmarks of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has intensified its operations in Shabwa and neighboring provinces amid Yemen’s ongoing civil war. 

The group has repeatedly targeted checkpoints and patrols belonging to government and UAE-backed forces, seeking to destabilize security in the oil-rich region.

The injured commander, whose identity has not yet been officially released, was transferred to a medical facility in Ataq, the provincial capital. Military officials described his condition as stable but noted that the attack underscores the persistent threat posed by AQAP despite counterterrorism operations.

This incident marks one of the bloodiest Al-Qaeda strikes in southern Yemen in recent months, highlighting the fragile security situation and the challenges faced by Yemeni forces in maintaining control over strategic areas.