ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Gunmen of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch targeted military vehicles of the country's government forces in the southern province of Abyan on Friday, a military official told Xinhua.
"Four military vehicles of the government forces were targeted by two explosions of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) detonated remotely by al-Qaida gunmen in Abyan's district of Mudiyah," the local military official said on condition of anonymity.
The official confirmed that one of the IEDs explosions struck a military vehicle, killing three soldiers and wounding five others at the scene.
"The al-Qaida militants set up an ambush and attempted to attack the government soldiers following the explosions," he said, adding that an intense armed confrontation took place between the al-Qaida assailants and the government soldiers after the explosion.
Last month, military units of the Southern Transitional Council, which is a part of Yemen's government, announced they were launching "a qualitative anti-terror operation and succeeded in raiding a key hideout of al-Qaida in Abyan."
Scores of al-Qaida militants frequently use hit-and-run tactics against Yemeni government forces while hiding out in rocky terrains and mountainous areas of Abyan and other neighboring provinces.
The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula network has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia to expand its presence in the war-ravaged Arab country. It has carried out many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country's southern provinces. ■
