Yemeni Army officials say heavy clashes overnight between the military and Al-Qaeda-linked militants in the south have killed 63 people, bringing the two-day death toll in the fighting to 127. The officials say the fighting that broke out in the town of Lawder on Apr 10 spilled over into the next day, with the army shelling militant hideouts in an effort to prevent them from sending reinforcements. The officials say 56 militants, four soldiers and three tribal fighters were killed.
The city of Lawder is located some 150 km northeast of Zinjibar, the Abyan provincial capital which the Al-Qaeda linked Partisans of Shariah militants overran in May last year.