Al-Qaeda militants who escaped Zinjibar and Jaar have set up a new stronghold in Al-Mahfad area of Abyan, media sources revealed on Wednesday.
The sources made clear that Al-Mahfad is an extremely rugged mountain ranges in the borders with Shabwa governorate.
They further said that Al-Qaeda leaders and militants were monitored while they were heading to Al-Mahafad during the past days, affirming that they set up training camps in the area.
The Yemeni army backed by the Public Resistance Committees comprised of tribesmen could dislodge Al-Qaeda from main towns in Abyan such as Jaar, Zinjibar and Shaqrah.
The militants were also cleansed from Azzan district of Shabwa that was previously declared by Al-Qaeda as an Islamic Emirate and set up the largest training camp inside.
Meanwhile, an Omani newspaper said on Tuesday that al-Qaeda operatives have left Yemen to the neighboring state of Oman after they were attacked in the South Yemen.
The newspaper quoted the Secretary-General of the Foreign Minster Badar Al-Boseedi as saying that Al-Qaeda operatives infiltrated to Oman and actions were taken to pursue them.
He said that the Omani authorities have not arrested any militants so far, asserting that Omani authorities are alert, pointing out that the they contacted with neighboring states regarding the issue.
Meanwhile, Yemeni officials said Al-Qaeda militants implanted landmines before they fled from key southern strongholds, pointing out that they killed nearly 73 civilians over the past week.
The Yemeni army captured Jaar and Zinjibar after a two-month offensive to uproot al Qaeda fighters from large swaths of land they captured during last year's political turmoil.