Aden, Yemen – The Central State Security Agency in Yemen announced on Tuesday the killing of the official spokesman for the ISIS organization in Yemen, known as Abu Hudhaifa al-Ansari, during a precise and high-quality security operation carried out by special forces affiliated with the Coalition to Support Legitimacy with the support of local forces.
Details of the joint security operation
According to the official television channel, citing the intelligence agency, the military operation was primarily aimed at capturing the prominent leader alive, but he was killed during the clashes. The statement also detailed the operation’s execution. Furthermore, the statement explained that special forces from the Saudi-led coalition carried out the operation with on-the-ground support from the 22nd Brigade of the Yemeni counterterrorism forces. The agency confirmed that the joint forces withdrew from the operation site immediately after successfully completing their mission. It also emphasized that no civilian casualties or damage were reported. Despite the operation’s success, official sources did not disclose the precise location of the operation or the specific circumstances surrounding al-Ansari’s death.
The true identity and background of terrorist activity
Local media reports revealed that the slain leader, Abu Hudhaifa al-Ansari, was actually named Mithaq al-Radfani and hailed from the Radfan district of Yemen’s Lahj governorate. He had served as the official spokesperson for ISIS in Yemen since August 2023. These security developments come at a time when extremist groups continue to exploit the chaos and security vacuum resulting from the ongoing conflict in the country between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the Houthi group. This conflict, which has persisted since late 2014, continues to pose a significant challenge to efforts to establish stability and combat terrorism.
