Al-Qaeda in Yemen announced yesterday that it had executed 11 individuals it had previously abducted, including journalist Mohammed Al-Maqri, who was kidnapped from his home in Hadhramaut Governorate in mid-October 2015 during the group’s control of the city, media outlets reported on Sunday.
The announcement, detailed in a statement released by the group, claimed the executions were in response to appeals from the families of the abductees, who had long demanded information about their missing relatives.
The statement accused the victims of “espionage,” alleging they had provided information about the group’s movements to hostile entities. These mass executions underscore Al-Qaeda’s continued use of violent tactics to instill fear in areas under its influence.
The execution of the abductees, including Al-Maqri, highlights the grim reality faced by many regions in Yemen, where the group has strengthened its presence across several provinces, exploiting the ongoing chaos in the country.
The incident recalls earlier atrocities committed by extremist groups at the onset of the war in Yemen in March 2015, when mass killings took place in Hadhramaut and other areas amid a lack of security and worsening humanitarian conditions.
