3 al-Qaida militants killed in battles with gov't troops in south Yemen

ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Fierce fighting broke out between Yemeni government troops and dozens of al-Qaida militants Thursday evening, leaving three members of the terrorist group killed and four others injured in the restive southern province of Abyan, a local army officer said.

The officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that dozens of al-Qaida militants clashed with units of the army forces at the eastern entrance of the al-Qaida-seized city of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan province.

Troops of the 201 Armored Army Brigade backed by members of the counter-terrorism units made progress towards the Zinjibar city after fierce ground battles earlier with the al-Qaida militants at the Dovis area, causing huge losses and casualties to the terrorist group, he added.

Al-Qaida militants in the past few days escalated suicide attacks targeting armed tribesmen who engaged in the fighting with the army forces against the terrorist group.

Abyan, some 480 km south of Yemen's capital Sanaa, has almost been under control of the resurgent al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula since the militants seized the cities of Zinjibar and Jaar late in May.