Asia

Asia

Three soldiers killed in south Yemen

10 September 2010 02:43 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least three soldiers were killed and four others wounded Thursday in clashes between the security forces and al-Qaida fighters in the province of Abyan in southern Yemen, a provincial police official said, APA repots quoting Xinhua News Agency.

Nearly 200 al-Qaida militants were involved in the clashes early Thursday in Modia district after they had been defeated in a week-long fight erupted late last month against the security forces and driven out of the neighboring Lodar city, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Tension and violence were on the rise in Lodar and Modia of Abyan, the official said.

Abyan province is believed to be a stronghold of al-Qaida forces in the Arabian Peninsula, which has witnessed a series of deadly battles between al-Qaida militants and the security forces late August after al-Qaida militants killed 11 soldiers in an ambush in Lodar city.

On Tuesday, the Yemen-based al-Qaida claimed responsibility for killing over 50 soldiers in battles in Lodar including senior police officials, according to statements issued on jihadist forums.

The U.S.-backed Yemeni government has intensified security operations and air raids against terrorist groups after the Yemen- based al-Qaida claimed responsibility for a botched attempt to blow up a U.S. passenger plane bound for Detroit last December.