More than a dozen militants killed in Yemen

April 3, 2012

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni officials say 14 al-Qaida-linked militants have been killed in government artillery shelling and air raids on their hideouts in the south.

The shelling near al-Rahha in the southern province of Lahj Monday left eight militants dead. It followed a surprise attack by militants on a Yemeni army base in the area this weekend.

A local Abyan province official said six militants, including a Somali, were killed in another raid on a hideout in Zinjibar late Sunday.

Al-Qaida-linked militants have taken advantage of a year of internal political turmoil to solidify their positions in south Yemen.

Also Monday, a security official said gunmen fired at the intelligence headquarters in Sanaa, wounding a guard.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.