DHAMAR, March 4 — Al-Kuraimi Exchange Company last week closed its two branches in Dhamar following a failed armed burglary at one of its exchange shops last Sunday. One of the armed men who attempted the break in was killed and another injured.

The Al-Kuraimi Group is one of the leading firms in Yemen, providing exchange and remittance services to Yemeni citizens in all the governorates of the country. Many local Yemeni workers and migrants in Saudi Arabia send money to their families through the company.

An unnamed source in Dhamar’s security services told the Yemen Times that an armed gang attempted to rob the company’s headquarters on the main street of Dhamar, but were thwarted by the guard who exchanged fire with the attackers.

The source also said that both the dead man and the injured man were known to police, and had previous criminal records for theft. The police are still looking for other members of the gang.

Police have now surrounded the two Al-Kuraimi exchange shops around the clock with military vehicles to prevent any further break in attempts.

The police authority has also imprisoned the guard who exchanged gunfire with the attackers. He will be referred to the prosecution in line with the law until all members of the gang are arrested to complete investigations.

Two weeks ago, an unidentified man fired from his motorbike at the other Al-Kuraimi exchange shop on Rada’a Street in Dhamar. The attack occurred as the guard was closing the doors of the shop at the end of working hours. One employee was injured and the front door of the shop was smashed.

The Manager of the Al-Kuraimi Exchange Branch in Dhamar told the Yemen Times that the exchange of gunfire took place because of attempts by armed men to break into and rob the shop.

He said that the Al-Kuraimi headquarters in Dhamar is closed until further notice due to the intermittent gunfire against the shops. He explained that the attacks are now preventing citizens from using the shop for cash withdrawals, and the sending or receiving of remittances.

A local source in Dhamar said that the guard at the Al-Kuraimi store had prevented several burglaries by the same gang, and had even caught one member of the gang and handed him over to the police authority.

The local source added that members of the gang had threatened the guard with death if he interfered with their robberies, and another member had offered him a percentage of the money proceeds if the guard allowed the robbery.

On Wednesday evening, the Manager of Al-Kuraimi’s Branch in Al-Dhala, Sadeq Al-Qubati, survived an assassination attempt by unknown armed men. Media sources said that he sustained some injures after the men fired at him in the main street of the city.