At least eight Yemenis, including four soldiers, have been killed in a week of unrest in Abyan, Lahj and Aldhala'a, where witnessed clashes between the government and groups of locals who complained that northerners have abused a unity agreement to grab their resources and discriminate against them, and raised slogans call for separating their governorates from Yemen, which was united in 1990.
"What you are demanding is your right granted to you by your religion... injustice, oppression and tyranny should not be practiced in the name of unity," Al-Wuhaishi said in a audiotape carried by SITE Intelligence, a US group that monitors Islamist websites.
"We in the Al-Qaeda network support what you are doing: your rejection of oppression practised against you and others, your fight against the government and your defending yourself."
Al Qaeda called for Islamic rule in Yemen and vowed to retaliate for what it said was the killing of civilians in the clashes. "The time for the rule of Islam has come so that you could bask in the justice and tolerance it brings" said Al-Wuhaish, also known as Abu Basir
"The injustice that befell you, God willing, will not pass without punishment. The killing of Muslims in the streets is a great crime that has no justification."
