国际英语新闻：14 al-Qaida militants surrender to Yemeni authorities

SANAA, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 14 al-Qaida militants, including five commanders, surrendered to the local authorities in the Yemeni southern province of Abyan on Monday, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Monday's surrender came a week after another 15 terrorists turned into Yemeni security authorities in the same province of Abyan, bringing the total number to 29, according to Abyan governor.

"A total of 14 al-Qaida members, including five leaders gave themselves up to the local authorities in Abyan on Monday," the statement, which was posted on the ministry's website, quoted Abyan's governor Ahmad al-Maisery as saying.

"Jamal Ahmad Ni'eran, a prominent al-Qaida leader in Abyan, was among the five surrendering commanders," said the statement.

The statement said all al-Qaida surrenders were on the most- wanted list of the Yemeni Interior Ministry, and the surrender process was facilitated by some mediators of scholars and dignitaries in the province who exerted efforts along with the local authorities and the surrenders' families.

Governor al-Maisery also expected more al-Qaida militants to give themselves up to the authorities during the next few days, the statement added.

On Oct. 25, governor al-Maisery told Xinhua by phone that "15 al-Qaida fighters, who fought alongside al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) against the government troops in Abyan's cities of Modiya and Lodar during the past three months, turned themselves in to security authorities."

Early last month, Yemeni fighter jets hit camps of al-Qaida in Modiya district of Abyan, killing at least 11 al-Qaida fighters and injuring dozens including civilians.

Abyan is believed to be one of al-Qaida's strongholds in Yemen which witnessed a series of deadly battles between al-Qaida fighters and the security forces over the past months, leaving dozens of people dead or injured.

Yemen, the impoverished Arab country, jumped to the forefront of Western security concerns after two alleged al-Qaida-made parcel bombs sent from Yemen through cargo shipment planes to the United States last week.