A government official confirmed on Sunday that a car-bomb which exploded in the southern city of Aden seriously injured a security officer in charge of Aden International Airport security.
"An officer in charge of Aden International airport security survived an assassination attempt after a bomb attached to his military car exploded. He was seriously injured," Xinha news agency quoted an official as saying earlier today.
So far a preliminary investigation established that militants planted an explosive device into the officer’s military vehicle as to cause him harm. Whether or not his attackers meant to explode the car while near Aden International Airport has yet to be established.
While officials believe at this point that the officer was the main target, no one is excluding the possibility of a larger plan aiming to target the country’s interests and further spread insecurity.
The officer suffered some burns to his legs and lower body as a result of the deflagration. The car exploded in Khor Maksar, a popular district of Aden. The officer, whose name has yet to be determined by the authorities, was transported to a nearby military hospital where he is receiving treatments for his injuries.
It is important to note that al-Qaeda, which again has been identified a potential culprit, has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the local authorities have not taken the potential terror threat lightly, very aware that the group has its eyes set on Aden, a strategic advantage point in the region.
While security officials were not at liberty to make any comment to the press, they were however able to confirm that the security alert across Aden had been raised and that both the security and intelligence services were standing at the ready.