Four al-Qaida militants killed in battles with Yemeni army forces

ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni army forces killed four al-Qaida militants early Tuesday in ongoing gun battles in the turbulent southern province of Abyan, an army officer said.

The local military officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that after fierce battles overnight, the army forces fired rockets at al-Qaida positions northeast of Abyan's provincial capital Zinjibar, killing four terrorists and injuring seven others.

The officer added that most of the dead militants were foreigners, and the targeted al-Qaida house used for meetings was badly damaged.

Another officer engaged in the fighting told Xinhua that al- Qaida militants had been planting explosives in the surroundings of Zinjibar in an attempt to blow up the army patrols.

The al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) controlled several regions in the south part of the country, where clashes between government forces and the militants became regular after months of domestic protests calling for Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh' s resignation.