Al Qaeda claim to have killed 30 soldiers in Yemen
March 31st, 2012 - 7:18 pm ICT by IANSAden, March 31 (IANS) Terror outfit Al Qaeda Saturday claimed to have killed at least 30 Yemeni soldiers and seized a military site after a deadly gunbattle with government troops, Xinhua reported.
The clash occurred in the volatile southern province of Lahj, an army officer said requesting anonymity.
Up to 20 militants stormed an army barrack of the 201st Mechanized Army Brigade in the suburbs of Jaar town, killing more than 20 soldiers.
In a text message sent to Xinhua, an Al Qaeda spokesman said the outfit killed a total of 30 soldiers in the attack.
“During the battle, our holy war fighters attacked an army base, killing more than 30 soldiers and many others surrendered… we managed to seize the base along with its heavy weaponry, tanks and armoured vehicles,” the message read.
At least eight Al Qaeda militants were killed, the army officer said.
After three hours of fierce fighting, Yemeni army forces left the army base and retreated from the region, he said.
The militants set off two explosions at the site after the retreat of the soldiers, the officer said.
- Nine militants killed in Yemen - Jun 11, 2012
- 23 killed in Yemen attack - Apr 09, 2012
- Al Qaeda publicly executes three for spying - Feb 12, 2012
- Yemeni air force attack Al-Qaeda strongholds, 12 killed - Oct 05, 2011
- Al Qaeda releases 73 Yemeni soldiers - Apr 28, 2012
- Yemeni warplanes bomb Al-Qaeda bases, 18 killed - Mar 19, 2012
- Al Qaeda forms army of 12,000 fighters in Yemen - Jul 30, 2010
- Al Qaeda abducts Yemeni intelligence officer - Mar 22, 2012
- 15 killed in Yemen - Jun 09, 2011
- Al Qaeda suicide bomber kills 20 in Yemen - Aug 05, 2012
- 20 Al Qaeda terrorists killed in Yemen - May 26, 2012
- Six killed in Yemen - Jun 24, 2011
- Al Qaeda guns down American in Yemen (Lead) - Mar 18, 2012
- Al Qaeda kills six cops in Yemen - May 14, 2011
- 11 die in Yemeni army, Al Qaeda clashes - Jun 27, 2011
Tags: al qaeda, al qaeda militants, anonymity, armoured vehicles, army base, army forces, army officer, barrack, clash, explosions, fierce fighting, government troops, gunbattle, holy war, southern province, text message, war fighters, weaponry, xinhua, yemen aden