| Yemen police bombings | |
|---|---|
| Part of theYemeni civil war (2014–present) | |
| Location | Mukalla,Hadhramaut Governorate,Yemen |
| Date | 15 May 2016 |
| Target | Security forces |
Attack type | Suicide bombing |
| Deaths | 47+ (+1) |
| Injured | 60+ |
| Perpetrators |  Islamic State - Yemen Province |
| Motive | Terror |
On 15 May 2016, asuicide bombing in the southernYemeni port city ofMukalla, the capital of theHadhramaut province, killed at least 47 police and injured over 60.[1] The bombing was preceded by an attack, where 15 Yemeni troops were killed in attacks on army positions outside Mukalla. ISIL said, one of its militants blew up a vehicle, packed with explosives, in an army base in the Khalf district at the city's eastern outskirts.[2]
TheU.S. military announced, a week before the attacks, it had deployed a small number of personnel toYemen, to aid the fight againstAQAP, its first troop presence in the country since theHouthi takeover. A year ofal-Qaeda rule also ended a month before the attacks.[3] ISIL rarely intervenes in the area, the bombings took place, as it is known to be a stronghold of itsal-Qaeda rivals.[1] One day before, troops guarding an army post, in the Khalf district of Mukalla, opened fire at a vehicle, after they suspected its driver of being a suicide bomber, a security official said, adding, that the vehicle sped away.[2] A general boasted, that his forces had captured around 250al-Qaeda members, since they retook Mukalla and nearby coastal towns, including its commander for the city ofShihr.Iran andSaudi Arabia have also gotten involved in the conflict.[1] ISIL had claimed responsibility for several attacks on government and coalition targets inAden in the recent[when?] months.[citation needed]
The first bomber, Abu al-Bara al-Ansari, detonated an explosives belt, as he joined a line of men at a police recruiting centre. The bomb exploded asHadhramaut's security chief, general Mubarak al-Oubthani, walked out of his office, killing six of his guards, but leaving him with only minor injuries. The attacks included a suicide bombing, that targeted the residence of the commander ofHadhramaut's second military region, general Faraj Salmeen, but he escaped unharmed. The suicide bomber killed at least 41 police recruits and 47 police in total. The bomber also injured over 60 people.[citation needed]
