26 killed as Yemeni army battles Al-Qaeda in two towns | WPN World People News

SANAA, Yemen The Yemeni army, backed by tanks, battled Al-Qaeda militants in two southern towns, killing at least 26, the country's defense ministry announced Tuesday.

The government claimed that it is on the verge of recapturing Zinjibar, capital of southern Abyan province, that fell to militants over a year ago, and also the Al-Qaeda stronghold of Jaar.

The defence ministry reported intense overnight clashes between government troops backed by artillery in Zinjibar and nearby Qut that left 23 dead.

Troops were also closing in on the al-Qaeda Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)-held town of Shaqra.

The head of the southern military zone asked people living in the area not to use the roads around Shaqra and two other towns controlled by the fighters.

The government's intensified attack on the Al-Qaeda comes a day after two suicide bombers tried to hit army barracks and checkpoints in the town, killing four army-allied militiamen.

Al-Qaeda has been using suicide bombers and car bombs to try to halt the military offensive in the south, which started escalating May 12.

The Al-Qaeda-linked militants, taking advantage of Yemen's political turmoil last year, seized huge swathes of territory in the south.

The U.S. is backing the army offensive in the south and has stepped up its campaign of drone strikes on Al-Qaeda members

The US has also sent dozens of military trainers and stepped up aid to Yemen and it wants President Mansour Hadi to reunify the military and fight A-Qaeda's Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) wing.

Source: Middle East News.Net