Yemen Al Qaeda Clashes: 22 Militants Killed In Yemen Fighting

Yemeni armed tribesmen gather for a tribal meeting on the outskirts of Sanaa to discuss local conflicts on May 17, 2012. (MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/GettyImages)

SANAA, Yemen -- Yemeni military officials say fresh clashes between government troops and al-Qaida fighters in the south have killed 22 militants and seven soldiers.

The officials say the fighting around the town of Bajidar in Abyan province lasted until Wednesday morning. The town was captured more than a year ago by the militants who exploited the political turmoil during Yemen's popular uprising.

The officials say government jets and heavy artillery pounded militant positions around the provincial capital Zinjibar and Jaar, also under al-Qaida's control. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The fighting comes just days after a suicide bombing in the capital Sanaa killed nearly 100 soldiers. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for that attack.

Earlier on HuffPost:

Comments

[rissole]

09:43 PM on 05/23/2012

Saudis would probably chip in and build a new Mosque.

[HEXYEBO]

11:31 AM on 05/23/2012

Time to flush AQ out of Yemen. Let's hope Saudis are helping out. Let's hope when Muslim Brotherhood comes to power in Egypt they will refrain from helping Al Qaeda and sending them covert aid and supply of Jihadists.

[REDSTATEREFUGEE]

12:34 AM on 05/24/2012

" Time to flush AQ out of Yemen."

==========================

I trust that you are not advocating ramping up our involvement. We already have deployed drones which are engaged in low altitude attacks. If you want troops on the ground, then be prepared to don camo and volunteer for infantry duty....

[ThinkCreeps]

12:03 PM on 05/24/2012

I would imagine that death from above comes from a more leisurely altitude. I also suspect that the current military advisers in Yemen are drawn from a rather more elite grouping than HEXYBRO is likely to be welcomed to join.