Sana’a: A Yemeni security official says government shelling has killed five al Qaeda-linked militants in a southern town, while one soldier has died in a landmine explosion in the same area.
The official says the bombardment in Zinjibar started on Saturday night and continued through early Sunday.
He says a Yemeni soldier died when he stepped on a mine on Sunday east of Zinjibar. He spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations.
During the past year of turmoil in Yemen, al Qaeda-linked militants seized control of parts of the south including Zinjibar. Government operations have failed to oust them.
On Saturday, a car bomb killed at least 25 people in the south, hours after the country's new President was formally inaugurated.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, February 26, 2012, 15:49