8 al-Qaida militants killed in fighting with gov't troops in southern Yemen

ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least eight al-Qaida militants, including an Iraqi, a Saudi and a Nigerian, were killed Wednesday in fighting with the Yemeni government forces in the turbulent southern province of Abyan, a senior army officer told Xinhua.

The heavy fighting erupted when the government troops carried out an offensive against the al-Qaida fortifications in and around the eastern suburbs of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, in a bid to wrest back some parts of the region that were still held by the terrorist group members, the senior army officer said on condition of anonymity.

The government troops managed to press toward the al-Qaida-held neighborhoods of Bagdar and al-Taria after heavy gun battles with the terrorist group, the officer said.

Five Yemeni nationals and three foreigners of the group were killed in the ongoing fighting, he added.

Abyan province has been the scene of daily fighting after militants of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) captured Zinjibar and at least three other towns late in May.

Concerns are raised that al-Qaida militants may exploit the country's political turmoil to launch more attacks to bolster their foothold in the lawless southern and eastern regions.