Five Al-Qaeda suspects handed themselves in to authorities in Yemen’s southern Abyan province, bringing the number of the suspects who have surrendered over the last few months to more than 35 suspects.
Local sources said the five included Muhammad Nuairan as the move was the result of coordinated efforts by the local authorities and tribal leaders to convince them to give up.
The surrender comes as the authorities are continuing to surround militants under large-scale counterterrorism operations, mainly in southern and southeastern regions, Abyan Governor Ahmed Al-Maisari said.
Furthermore, it was the result of major efforts exerted by the authorities, clerics, parents and tribal elders to convince all suspects to stop their acts and illegal grouping, he added.
14 suspects were said to have surrendered in November and 15 others in October.
Yemen has been waging a fierce war against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, which has been responsible for recent terror plots and attacks in Yemen, the region and the world.
The group was described by the U.S. as more dangerous than the main Al-Qaeda organization of Bin Laden in Afghanistan.