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2 Yemeni soldiers killed, 10 injured in fighting with al-Qaida militants

21 February 2012 02:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least two soldiers of the Yemeni government forces were killed and 10 others injured on Monday in ongoing fighting with al-Qaida militants in the war-torn southern province of Abyan, a security official said, APA reports referring Xinhua.

Fierce fighting took place around the eastern suburbs of Abyan’ s provincial capital city of Zinjibar as dozens of al-Qaida militants attempted to expand their control over the region, the local security official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"The soldiers of the 201st Armored Brigade aborted the al-Qaida attempt in expanding control over the suburbs of Zinjibar," the official said.

"Dozens of al-Qaida fighters escalated their overnight attacks during the past three days against the army barracks in Abyan, exploiting the anti-election riot in the neighboring southern regions," he added.

Abyan, some 480 km south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa, has been the scene of daily fierce fighting after hundreds of militants from the Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) captured Zinjibar and at least three other towns in May 2011.

The ongoing fighting shows the country’s fragile security situation ahead of the early presidential elections slated on Tuesday, which will end the rule of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.