Yemeni army kills 7 al-Qaida militants in Abyan province

Intense clashes erupted between units of the Yemeni army forces and dozens of al-Qaida militants early Saturday, killing seven terrorists and injuring three others in the flashpoint southern province of Abyan, an army officer said. The clashes broke out as the al-Qaida militants were trying to sneak into a military post of the 25th Mechanized Army Brigade stationed on the eastern outskirts of Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of Abyan province, the local army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The army soldiers foiled the al-Qaida attempt, killing seven terrorists and injuring three others, the officer said, adding that automatic rifles and shoulder-held rockets were used during the clashes. Elsewhere, in the neighboring province of Lahij, unidentified attackers fired two rocket-propelled grenades targeting a judicial compound in the provincial city of Houta, a police officer told Xinhua. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Abyan, some 480 km south of the capital Sanaa, has been the scene of daily fierce fighting after hundreds of militants from the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula captured Zinjibar and at least three other towns in May. Yemeni military forces took back control of Zinjibar in September, but heavy clashes are still rocking the region. Local observers and analysts fear that al-Qaida regional wing may exploit the 10-month political upheaval to expand its foothold and take control over the lawless southern and eastern parts of the country.