Seven Yemeni soldiers 'killed by suspected Qaeda forces'

ADEN: Seven Yemeni soldiers were killed and six others wounded on Saturday in clashes with suspected al-Qaeda forces in the southern province of Abyan, a military officer said.

The fighting took place near Dofes, a village south of the provincial capital of Zinjibar that has been occupied by extremist elements since the end of May, the source said.

"al-Qaeda fighters hidden in a wooded mountainous area opened fire on army units heading from Dofes to Zinjibar to try to rejoin the 25th Mechanised Brigade," which is encircled by , the source said.

The casualties were taken during "several hours of fighting that ensued," the officer added.

On Thursday, an air strike killed eight suspected al-Qaeda members in the same restive province, a local official said, adding the hit could have been carried out by a US drone.

The official said the strike targeted a position held by al-Qaeda suspects in Wadi Hassan valley, south of Zinjibar held by militants linked.

An air strike on Wednesday in Abyan killed six suspected al-Qaeda fighters, a tribal source said, again without being able to confirm it was carried out by Yemeni or US forces.

Local residents claim US drones regularly fly over the region.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011