Yemen’s army, with the backing of US experts, is slowly gaining ground in its southern offensive against Al-Qaeda, diplomats and officials said yesterday, as the death toll in five days of fighting rose to 144.

Operation to retake Al-Qaeda strongholds

The Yemeni air force late afternoon launched two air strikes targeting Al-Qaeda positions near Loder in Abyan province, killing 16 jihadists and wounding 14 others, according to a spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, a local militia.

On the ground, a military official said the army yesterday had advanced towards the southeastern entrance of Zinjibar, which was captured by Al-Qaeda militants a year ago, following clashes that left six soldiers wounded.

“The army is deployed at the entrances of the city. It advances during the day and tactically retreats at night out of fear of terrorist attacks,” an officer on the ground at Zinjibar, capital of southern Abyan province, said.

The military source said a force of around 20,000 soldiers from all regions in the south are engaged in the all-out operation launched on Saturday to retake Al-Qaeda strongholds in Abyan province.

They are backed by armed local militia consisting of residents of towns and cities determined to put Al-Qaeda to flight.