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Saturday, Jun 16, 2012 10:45 AM UTC

17 militants killed in fighting in south Yemen

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17 militants killed in fighting in south YemenA Yemeni army soldier, center, looks on as he sits with his comrades at their post in the town of Jaar in southern Abyan province, Yemen, Friday, June 15, 2012. Yemen says government troops have killed scores of militants in a push to rout al-Qaida fighters from the last town under militant control in the southern Abyan province. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)(Credit: AP)

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni military officials say government troops have killed 17 al-Qaida militants in the latest fighting in the south.

The officials say the fighting raged until early Saturday around Azan town in southern Shabwa province, one of the few remaining al-Qaida strongholds. Six soldiers were wounded.

Yemeni warplanes pounded militant hideouts in the mountains surrounding Azan on Friday but the officials say casualty figures from those bombings were not available because of the ruggedness of the terrain.

The military has advanced against al-Qaida strongholds in the south. Troops on Friday took Shoqra, the last town under militant control in Abyan province, which borders Shabwa.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.

More Ahmed Al-haj.

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