Three al-Qaida militants killed in clashes with pro-gov't tribesmen in southern Yemen

ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Intense clashes erupted Friday between pro-government tribesmen and al-Qaida militants in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, killing at least three terrorists and injuring two others, a tribal chief said.

Dozens of pro-government tribesmen clashed with al-Qaida militants, who were trying to sneak into the Mudia district, some 139 km northeast of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan.

At least three members of the terrorist group were killed and two others wounded, the local tribal chief told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"Our tribal fighters confronted a convoy of the al-Qaida militants with six armored vehicles attempting to storm the city of Mudia from the southern entrance," the tribal chief said.

The al-Qaida militants retreated after facing a strong resistance by the pro-government tribesmen, he added.

Battles between militants of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Yemeni government forces backed by armed tribesmen have been raging for over six months in Abyan province.

The AQAP militants have taken advantage of sweeping protests against outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule to bolster its presence in the country's southern and eastern regions.