Yemeni army forces kill 6 al-Qaida militants in ongoing clashes

At least six al-Qaida militants were killed Wednesday in ongoing clashes with the Yemeni army forces in the turbulent southern province of Abyan, an army officer said. The clashes erupted following an al-Qaida attack against an army barrack of the 119th Armored brigade positioned in the east of Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of Abyan, the local army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The army forces killed at least six terrorists, including a Saudi and a Syrian during the shootout, the officer said. A close source to the al-Qaida group confirmed to Xinhua the toll, saying that "most of the killed were foreigners." In the surroundings of Zinjibar, heavy clashes are still going on between the two sides and three of the military's armored vehicles were set ablaze, according to military sources. Since late January 2011, when massive protests erupted against Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule, the militants of al- Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula have been working to bolster their presence in the country's remote regions. The group has taken control of several cities and towns across the restive southern provinces, as the Yemeni government forces engaged in fierce clashes with the terrorists during the past months, leaving hundreds of people killed.