Qaida Gunmen Kill Two Yemen Soldiers
Al-Qaida gunmen killed two soldiers and wounded three others on Wednesday in Yemen's restive southern province of Abyan, a security official told Agence France Presse.
"Gunmen attacked the soldiers with rocket-propelled grenades, killing two and wounding three others in the town of Zinjibar," the capital of Abyan, the official said, adding the attackers then fled.
The province is considered a stronghold of Osama bin Laden's local jihadist network, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
Last month, at least 150 people were killed in a massive blast and fire at an ammunition plant looted by al-Qaida in Abyan.
Washington has expressed fears that al-Qaida could take advantage of a prolonged political crisis in Yemen, where President Ali Abdullah Saleh has faced mass protests since late January calling for him to step down.
Saleh, who is stubbornly clinging to power, has been a close U.S. ally in Washington's fight against al-Qaida, which has a strong presence in Yemen's south and east.
Source: Agence France Presse
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