Officials confirmed on Tuesday that a police officer identified as Mahmoud al-Nakhii was gunned down earlier this afternoon in Ghayl Bawazir, a city located in the south-eastern province of Hadhramawt. The officer who was in a marked police vehicle at the time of the attack is said to habe succumbed to his injuries almost immediately.

A local official was quoted by Agence France Presse as saying, “Two armed men suspected of belonging to al-Qaida opened fire at the officer, Mahmoud al-Nakhii, who was in a police car in the main street of Ghayl Bawazir.”

The unidentified armed men were seen running away on motorbikes by several residents; al-Qaeda preferred Modus Operandi.

It is important to note that until now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However since it bears all of al-Qaeda hallmarks, officials have been treating the incident as a terror-related assassination.

Ever since this August widespread terror alert when most foreign embassies recall their diplomats and closed down their embassies by fear of targeted terror attacks, Yemen has seen a steady increase in such incidents: targeted assassination hit against security and military personnel, suicide bombing and sabotage.

Only last month (September) al Qaeda stormed Mukalla military headquarters with several dozen militants disguised as Special Forces staff, which lead to a two-day stand off against the military. While the armed forces were quick to regain control of the situation, Sana’a has been unable to break al-Qaeda’s increasing clench over Yemen.

In neighbouring Lahj (southern province) officials also reported a terror-related incident. Six soldiers were wounded after suspected terror militants attacked a military outpost in Huta, the province regional capital.