Yemen: Troops clash with Qaida men, 40 killed
AP | Jun 12, 2011, 03.53am IST
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SANAA: Yemeni soldiers battled Islamic militants on Saturday in an attempt to drive them from several southern towns under the control of hundreds of the fighters. The clashes killed 40 people on both sides, officials said.
In a twist, the army commander leading the campaign to drive back the Islamists is among several top military figures who have turned against the country's president and thrown their support behind the massive protest movement pushing for the autocratic leader's ouster.
The commanders who abandoned Yemen's embattled president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, accuse him of trying to sow chaos and letting the southern towns fall into the hands of Islamic militants in an effort to persuade the US and other Western powers that without him in charge, al-Qaida would take control of the country.
Saturday's fighting around Lawdar and Zinjibar killed 21 al-Qaida militants, the defence ministry said. Nineteen soldiers were also killed, said a local government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
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SANAA: Yemeni soldiers battled Islamic militants on Saturday in an attempt to drive them from several southern towns under the control of hundreds of the fighters. The clashes killed 40 people on both sides, officials said.
In a twist, the army commander leading the campaign to drive back the Islamists is among several top military figures who have turned against the country's president and thrown their support behind the massive protest movement pushing for the autocratic leader's ouster.
The commanders who abandoned Yemen's embattled president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, accuse him of trying to sow chaos and letting the southern towns fall into the hands of Islamic militants in an effort to persuade the US and other Western powers that without him in charge, al-Qaida would take control of the country.
Saturday's fighting around Lawdar and Zinjibar killed 21 al-Qaida militants, the defence ministry said. Nineteen soldiers were also killed, said a local government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
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