ADEN — The Arab coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government on Wednesday strongly condemned what it described as a "cowardly terrorist attack" targeting the motorcade of Brig. Gen. Hamdi Shukri, commander of the Second Brigade of the Giants Brigades, in the Ja'oula area of Lahj province. Coalition spokesperson Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the attack resulted in the deaths of several people and left others wounded, calling it a criminal act that violates all humanitarian and moral values. He expressed the coalition's condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. Security officials said four people were killed and five others wounded when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded as Shukri's motorcade passed through Ja'oula. The commander survived the assassination attempt. Al-Maliki said the coalition will continue coordinating with relevant authorities to ensure civilian safety and maintain stability, stressing its humanitarian and moral responsibility toward the Yemeni people. He called for unity, rejection of internal divisions, and cooperation with the Yemeni government and security and military institutions to confront sabotage and terrorist attempts targeting liberated areas and Yemeni society as a whole. He added that such attacks would not succeed in undermining social peace and reiterated that the coalition would not hesitate in fulfilling its role in enhancing security and stability. The coalition also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Yemeni security efforts to pursue those involved in the attack and bring them to justice, while continuing its firm backing of Yemeni security and military forces. Al-Maliki stressed the importance of coordinated local and international efforts to combat terrorism and cut off its ideological and financial sources. Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi said authorities would track down those responsible for the attack and that security measures and intelligence efforts would be intensified to monitor the activities of what he described as "sleeper cells affiliated with the Houthi militia," according to the state news agency SABA.
