ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of civilians who fled the long-running battles between the Yemeni government forces and al-Qaida militants in the southern province of Abyan began to return home on Saturday, local residents told Xinhua.
The displaced residents were allowed to enter Zinjibar city, Abyan's provincial capital as well as the battlefront after nearly eight months of fighting between the Yemeni army forces and al- Qaida members, who took control of several major cities of Abyan and Shabwa provinces since May 2011.
"We managed to enter our city today after many previous failed attempts, but large parts of Zinjibar are still seized by the al- Qaida fighters," Saleh Khaled, a local resident, told Xinhua.
"The fighting must end and we call on both sides to lay down their arms," he said.
The anti-terror fighting, which began in late May 2011, has pushed thousands of residents to move to camps of the internally displaced people in neighboring provinces of Aden, Lahj and some remote villages in Abyan.
However, an army officer, told Xinhua that "the fighting against the al-Qaida militants in Abyan will continue until all seized cities and villages are liberated from the hands of the terrorist group."
The al-Qaida group has seized at least seven cities and towns across the restive southern provinces, as Yemeni government forces engaged in fierce clashes with militants over past months, leaving thousands of people killed or injured.
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