Yemeni warplanes and troops have bombarded the Islamist militant stronghold of Jaar, according to officials and witnesses, as part of a US- backed offensive in a country Washington sees as a front line in its war against al-Qaeda.
At least 38 soldiers and militants were killed as the military launched its most serious assault on Jaar to date and also attacked positions near Shaqra, a coastal town on a major shipping route, a Yemeni military official said.
Yemen is fighting to retake towns and territory in the southern province of Abyan that were seized by militants linked to al-Qaeda last year during a popular uprising against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Washington, which helped engineer Mr Saleh’s replacement by his deputy, has increased drone strikes on suspected al-Qaeda members. – (Reuters)
