Members of Yemen's Elite Forces paramilitary, which has battled Al Qaeda in Shabwa province, bordering Hadramawt. Photo: The Sanaa Centre
Members of Yemen's Elite Forces paramilitary, which has battled Al Qaeda in Shabwa province, bordering Hadramawt. Photo: The Sanaa Centre
Members of Yemen's Elite Forces paramilitary, which has battled Al Qaeda in Shabwa province, bordering Hadramawt. Photo: The Sanaa Centre
Members of Yemen's Elite Forces paramilitary, which has battled Al Qaeda in Shabwa province, bordering Hadramawt. Photo: The Sanaa Centre

Yemen prison break leaves 10 Al Qaeda inmates on the run


  • English
  • Arabic

Ten Al Qaeda militants have escaped from a prison in Yemen's eastern province of Hadramawt, security officials have said.

The inmates staged a quarrel among themselves late on Thursday at the prison in the city of Seiyun, forcing guards to intervene.

But when they did, the prisoners overpowered them, seized their rifles and bound their hands before escaping, prison officials told Associated Press.

Officials said preliminary investigations indicated that the inmates co-ordinated their escape with some prison guards and fellow extremists from outside.

A list of the fugitives' names has been published on social media to help with the hunt, said the officials.

The Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has long been considered the global terror network’s most dangerous branch, and has attempted to carry out attacks on the US mainland.

In 2015, Al Qaeda militants took advantage of Yemen's civil war and overran Mukalla, the main city in Hadramawt, burning government offices, looting banks and detaining local leaders.

Mukalla was the most populous Yemeni city under direct Al Qaeda control until 2016, when the army regained control with support from the regional Arab Coalition backing the government.

Al Qaeda in Yemen has struggled in recent years after sustained security operations by pro-government government forces.

US air strikes have also hit the group.

The group’s leader, Qasim Al Rimi, was killed in a US drone strike in February 2021, four years after his predecessor, Nasir Al Wuhayshi, was killed in a US air strike.

The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS

Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm

Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3

KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
%3Cp%3EYears%3A%20October%202015%20-%20June%202024%3Cbr%3ETotal%20games%3A%20491%3Cbr%3EWin%20percentage%3A%2060.9%25%3Cbr%3EMajor%20trophies%3A%206%20(Premier%20League%20x%201%2C%20Champions%20League%20x%201%2C%20FA%20Cup%20x%201%2C%20League%20Cup%20x%202%2C%20Fifa%20Club%20World%20Cup%20x1)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Updated: April 15, 2022, 6:04 PM