Political negotiations in Yemen have not yielded tangible results in stabilizing the country. Al Qaeda-linked militants remain active in Abyan in south Yemen, where al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has benefited from an increased operating space. Reporting is limited out of many areas in Yemen.

Al Qaeda-linked militants kidnapped three Yemeni soldiers in Shaqra, east of Zinjibar. A Yemeni army officer reported that the soldiers were stopped at a checkpoint by the militants.

Explosions targeted Sana’a’s military air base closed Sana’a international airport overnight. The military air base, al Daylami, is located next to the civilian airport. Reports said that shells hit the air base, destroying two fighter jets.

A section of an al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) video features leaders Qasim al Raymi and Ibrahim al Rubaish. Qasim al Raymi, AQAP’s military commander, spoke in support of the protesters in Yemen. Ibrahim al Rubaish, AQAP’s spiritual leader and a former Guantanamo detainee, noted that the Yemeni government does not represent its people. The clip was uploaded to YouTube on October 31, 2011. (Video obtained and translated by SITE.)