Yemen's Interior Ministry said Wednesday said it
placed its security forces in three southern provinces on alert for possible retaliation by al-
Qaida terrorists following raids against their hideouts last week, state-run Saba news agency
reported.
The three provinces are Abyan, Shabwa and al-Baidha, where the security agencies were also ordered to intensify the manhunt of al- Qaida suspects that might plan any terrorist attack,a statement by the ministry said.
On Thursday, Yemeni officials said security forces backed by warplanes killed at least 34
al-Qaida militants in raids against hideouts in the southern province of Abyan and sites in
Arhab district. The troops also arrested 17 al-Qaida suspects in the course of the attacks.
Thursday's raids by Yemeni forces foiled a series of attacks that al-Qaida terrorists were
planning to carry out against Yemeni and foreign interests, according to Yemeni officials.