Suspected al-Qaida militants have attacked a military checkpoint in southern Yemen, killing at least 14 soldiers.
Yemeni security officials say other soldiers were wounded in the attack, which took place on Thursday near a village in Shabwa province.
Yemen is the stronghold of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the terror group’s most active branches.
An army spokesman said Thursday that at least 500 al-Qaida militants have been killed since the military launched an offensive against the terrorist group in April.
During a news conference, Colonel Saeed al-Faquih also said 40 soldiers had been killed during the offensive.
Officials believe the militants have carried out a string of reprisal attacks in response to the military operation.
Thursday’s attack comes a day after local officials said at least three suspected al-Qaida militants were killed in a drone strike in central Yemen’s Marib province.
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(via voanews)
