Yemeni forces attack al-Qaeda strongholds in southern province

Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam 

Yemeni pro-government forces launched a large-scale operation on Sunday against hideouts of al-Qaeda's Yemen branch in the southern province of Abyan, a military official said.

Joint units of pro-government forces targeted al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) strongholds in the Mudiyah district, the official, who declined to be named, told Xinhua.

Three soldiers were killed in the clashes, the official said, adding that militants used drones alongside ground attacks. He said several AQAP fighters were killed or wounded, without providing figures. The remaining militants retreated into nearby mountains.

AQAP has exploited Yemen's civil war and weak security to entrench itself in the south. In late 2022, the government, in coordination with the Southern Transitional Council, launched a counter-terrorism campaign in Abyan. Still, officials say the group remains active, carrying out bombings and attacks on security forces.

Yemen has been in conflict since 2014, when the Houthi group seized the capital Sanaa, forcing the internationally-recognized government into exile.