ADEN, Yemen, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qaida militants distributed leaflets on Sunday among the remaining residents in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, pledging to cancel the "illegitimate" taxes and duties and warning people of the consequences of violating rules they draw up, local residents told Xinhua.
Al-Qaida is about to begin exercising the "local authority functions" in Abyan, the local residents told Xinhua quoting the statement as saying, adding that the group promised in their statement to address the problems of water and power shortages.
The statement also set specific prices to a number of basic commodities, emphasized on not selling "indecent" magazines and newspapers, warning those who violates the rules will be subjected to severe punishment.
Earlier the day, violent clashes erupted between the army forces and al-Qaida militants in Abyan, leaving at least eight al- Qaida militants and three soldiers killed, local officials told Xinhua.
Government forces have carried out intensified air strikes against al-Qaida hideouts during the past two weeks after the latter seized two largest Abyan's cities of Jaar and Zinjibar, about 480 km south of the capital Sanaa.
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