According to tribal sources in the southern region of Yemen, armed militants allegedly linked to the terror group al-Qaeda would have taken over the town of Rowda in the southern province of Shabwa.

Until recently, the group operating under the name of “Ansar al Shariah” had limited its operations to the province of Abyan, west of Shabwa. However, recent reports revealed that the Islamists intended to extend their territories, advancing on Marib and Shabwa.

Marid and Shabwa being Yemen’s Oil hub and home to several foreign Oil and Gas companies, the Yemeni government is said to be extremely concern.

“The town of Rowda is situated only a few miles away from Yemen Liquefied Gas Company (YLNG)” said a local official. YNLG’s main shareholder is French Oil based company TOTAL, which has large Oil investments in the Marib region.

  He added: "The militants of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) took over Rowda town following fierce battles with government forces backed by the Yemeni air force. They [the militants] are now advancing to the port city of Balhaf, to besiege the government troops guarding the LNG headquarters of the French oil giant TOTAL.”

According to U.S reports, Shabwa would be another stronghold of al-Qaeda, home to U.S born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, one of the most wanted men in the Middle East.

Since the beginning of its armed insurrection against the Saleh government, the terror group managed to seize, Zinjibar, Jaar and Shaqra, as well as several villages along the coastal area of Dovis.

Despite the regime’s many claims that the situation in under control, Brennan the American Counter-terrorism Chief, feels that Sana’a is more troubled by its political crisis than the threat of al-Qaeda in its southern regions. The U.S feels that more government forces should be sent in Abyan in order to regain control of the lost territories.