A Yemeni intelligence officer, Colonel Ali Abdul Kareem al-Ban, was shot dead outside his home in Lahej late on Friday. Reuters quotesan unnamed official as saying that al-Qaeda is  suspected.

However, AFP implies that he may have been targeted by southern secessionists. It points out that the colonel survived several assassination attempts in the past few months after interrogating numerous provincial Southern Movement leaders, and says that after the killing security forces arrested up to eight supporters of the Southern Movement.

Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for several previous assassinations of security officials in the south.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni defence ministry said on Saturday that Jumaan Sufian, regarded as the leader of al-Qaeda in al-Jawf province, has surrendered to the authorities along with "a number" of others.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 15 August 2010.