ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's army forces managed on Saturday evening to recapture al-Qaida-seized Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of southern Abyan province, killing at least 10 militants, a local army officer said.
The officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the government troops managed to break through Zinjibar city after fierce battles with dozens of the al-Qaida militants in and around the city.
About 10 militants were killed and dozens of others surrendered or fled to other safer places, according to the officer.
Fighting was still going on in various neighborhoods of Zinjibar, he said, adding that the rest al-Qaida militants were planting landmines around the city.
Meanwhile, the state-run Saba news agency reported that President Ali Abduallah Saleh congratulated the army forces for " its victory against the al-Qaida militants and ending the blockade on the 25th Mechanized Army Brigade."
A close source to the al-Qaida militants said that a number of booby-trapped cars were prepared in order to impede any progress by the army forces.
Earlier the week, leading members of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Abyan vowed to move their battles with the army forces to the neighboring provinces of Aden, Lahj and Shabwa after scores of terrorists were killed in air strikes and army offensives, according to statements distributed among local residents.
The government forces have been fighting with al-Qaida militants for more than three months after the terrorists took control of Zinjibar along with other surrounding cities, forcing many al-Qaida militants to flee and search for safer places in neighboring provinces.
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