Al-Qaeda Yemen offshoot claims murder of Ansarullah official

Al-Qaeda’s Yemen affiliate claimed responsibility for the murder of a member of the Revolutionary Committee of Ansarullah movement, the group said on Twitter

Al-Qaeda’s Yemen affiliate claimed responsibility for the murder of a member of the Revolutionary Committee of Ansarullah movement, the group said on Twitter.

The claim was made by Ansar al-Sharia which is linked to the Takfiri Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

A brief statement on Twitter said two terrorists of the group riding motorcycles opened fire on Abdul Karim al-Khiwani on Wednesday near his home in the centre of Sanaa, before fleeing.

Khiwani was a member of the Ansarullah revolutionaries, whom are also known as Huthis. The revolutionaries flushed out al-Qaeda terrorists out of Sanaa last September.

In 2008 he was awarded the Amnesty International Special Award for Human Rights Journalism under threat.

Amnesty has denounced the “despicable killing of a leading journalist and activist,” saying Khiwani had a history of being harassed for his “outspoken journalism and peaceful activism”, and called for a probe.