Secretary General of what is called the Southern Movement, Nasser Al-Khabji, has strongly denied allegations of news reports that Al-Qaeda captured Al-Habilain town of the southern Lahj province.
Al-Khabji slammed media outlets that published news of Al-Qaeda control over Al-Habilain, saying that these outlets promote to the plans of the outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
He reaffirmed that Al-Habilain, Radfan and Dhala'a are absolutely free of Al-Qaeda, citing that Al-Qaeda could not exist in such areas.
He urged reporters not to publish such false reports, calling on news agency, TV channels and newspapers to visit these regions to make sure the nonexistence of Al-Qaeda.
"Those media outlets belonging to the regime are attempting to raise such false allegations," he added. "Al-Qaeda is supported by some military commanders in Sana'a."
A Kuwaiti newspaper, Alsyaisah, that is known of its defense about the Yemeni regime had quoted local sources of Lahj as saying that 300 Al-Qaeda militants seized control of Al-Habilain.
It further said that the militants declared the town as an Islamic emirate, citing that the insurgents hinted that they were planning to head to the port city of Aden.
The newspaper further said that the militants led by Adel Hardba gave the officers and troops existed in the town a 24 deadline to leave and surrender their weapons.
A Yemeni activist, Abdul-Elah Al-Radfani, emphasized that the outgoing regime was behind rumors of Al-Qaeda control on Al-Habilain, saying the regime used to intimidate some countries with Al-Qaeda card.
Armed groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda calling itself as "the Islamic Jihad Group" took over last week an ancient town of Rada'a, and captured its archeological castle and mosque.