Ansar Allah group (Houthis) announced, Sunday evening, the killing of an Islamic State (ISIS) leader in Dhamar governorate, central Yemen.
The Houthi-run Yemeni news agency "Saba" quoted a security source as saying, "The security services in Dhamar Governorate carried out a security campaign in Otma district, which resulted in the death of the most dangerous criminal elements of the so-called ISIS."
The source pointed out that "the campaign moved to arrest the invited, Shawqi Jaber Mohammed Rafa'an, one of the leaders of (ISIS) in Otma and Wsabayn, after investigations confirmed his presence in the village of Jum'at Himiyar in the Otma district, where he is recruiting the deceiver in favor of the terrorist organization to destabilize security in the province and train Criminal elements to manufacture and plant improvised explosive devices and spread takfiri thought in the Directorate. "
The source claimed, Raf'aan refused to surrender, "and he threw two bombs at the security men, and after the exchange of fire, the security men managed to eliminate him."
He added, "The security men seized weapons, explosives and a quantity of takfiri publications belonging to al-Qaeda and ISIS."
He pointed out that Rafa'an was a "leader of the so-called ISIS long ago, and the previous regime released him from prison in 2011 for obscure reasons."
On Friday, social media activists circulated pictures of Shawqi Rafa'an before and after his death.
The activists said that the Houthi group killed Rifan, an imam and preacher of a mosque, in the Otma district on Friday evening in front of the worshipers.
The activists stressed that "Tarawih prayers and the distribution of food aid to poor families" was the reason for the death of Rafa'an by the Houthis.
