Yemeni troops shell al-Qaida strongholds, 14 killed

The Yemeni government troops launched heavy artillery shelling Wednesday against several strongholds of the al-Qaida militants across the restive southern province of Abyan, killing at least 14 terrorists and injuring dozens of others, an army officer said. The local army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that units of the 25th Mechanized Army Brigade launched heavy artillery shelling, targeting a number of al-Qaida strongholds and fortifications in the Hassan Valley in northeast Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of Abyan province. The shelling hit dozens of terrorists while they were carrying out certain training exercises in the valley, he said, adding that 14 members were killed. A close source to the al-Qaida militants in Abyan's second largest city, Jaar, which is still under the control of the terrorist group, confirmed the toll to Xinhua, saying that "14 dead bodies accessed to the region's cemetery." Three Armored Brigades of the Yemeni army forces supported by special troops of the counter-terrorism units launched an offensive earlier this month, shaking the al-Qaida members' hold and reclaimed several cities including Zinjibar. However, fighting is still going on in Zinjibar's eastern parts along with other cities which are still held by al-Qaida, according to some military sources. Abyan, some 480 km south of the country's capital Sanaa, is a key stronghold of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The Yemeni army forces have been fighting for more than three months against the AQAP militants, who are apparently taking advantage of the country's political crisis to expand its military operations and seize control over the lawless southern and eastern territories.