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Yemen: Airstrike, shelling kills 20 militants
Yemeni warplanes and artillery strikes killed 20 al-Qaida-linked militants in heavy shelling and clashes on Wednesday in the country's south, according to Defense Ministry and military officials.The ministry said an air raid targeted a militant communications station near the southern coastal town of Shaqra early Wednesday, killing three and wounding seven. Military officials say the station was used by the militants to direct operations using the Internet, wireless communications and a satellite telephone. Elsewhere, army shelling and clashes in the western the town of Jaar, an al-Qaida stronghold, left 17 fighters and six soldiers dead and injured 12 over the past 24 hours. The army is conducting an offensive against the town, which has been in al-Qaida's hands for more than a year. The army "fought a fierce two-hour battles with terrorists," the statement said, adding that army engineers defused land mines planted by al-Qaida militants. Residents who fled Jaar say that al-Qaida militants were using heavy weaponry, including tanks. Posted by: tipper 2012-05-30 |
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