4 Killed in Clashes between Pro-government Tribesmen, Al-Qaida in Southern Yemen

May 2, 2012

The al-Qaida militants attacked a checkpoint manned by pro-government tribesmen, sparking deadly clashes that left four people killed on Wednesday in the southern province of Abyan, a military official said.

The al-Qaida militants ambushed a checkpoint manned by pro- government tribesmen at the northern entrance of Lauder town, about 150 km northeast of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, leaving at least four people killed, the local military official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

After two hours of fighting, the tribesmen managed to repulse the attack and pushed the al-Qaida militants back into their hideouts in the nearby mountains, the official said.

These al-Qaida militants were attempting to fight into the army brigade stationed just a few miles away from the targeted checkpoint, he added.

Meanwhile, a local resident in the insurgents-controlled town of Jaar, said that 10 al-Qaida militants were killed when two air strikes by Yemeni air forces pounded their training camp.

Al-Qaida spokesman was not immediately available for comment on the casualties in the air trikes.

In recent months, militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch have carried out assaults and deadly suicide bombings against government troops across lawless southern regions.

Hundreds of al-Qaida militants have built up main strongholds in the impenetrable mountains in Abyan and Shabwa provinces, seizing control over several cities in the south.

The United States branded the al-Qaida in Yemen a global threat, and has dramatically stepped up its alliance with the Yemeni government by launching air strikes against the terrorist group.