Clashes in the southern Yemeni city of Loder in Abyan province intensified Aug. 23 as the Yemeni army shelled homes suspected of housing al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operatives. During the fighting, authorities claimed to have killed AQAP's second in command in Loder, Adel Saleh Hardaba, and forced the surrender of a number of other militants. The fighting began Aug. 19 when suspected AQAP militants killed two policemen at a Loder market. The next day, AQAP militants used a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) to ambush a Yemeni military armored personnel carrier, killing eight soldiers, after which Sanaa sent a large contingent of troops to surround the city. Fighting continued until the Yemeni military issued a unilateral cease-fire Aug. 23, giving AQAP operatives 12 hours to surrender. When the deadline passed with no individuals capitulating, clashes began anew.