SANAA, Yemen, April 10 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida militants attacked a military post in Yemen Tuesday, killing at least eight soldiers, and five militants were also killed, security officials said.
The security officials, quoting a post commander, said the militants, who were in four pickup trucks, attacked the soldiers in the al-Shabkar area of the Marib province, the Yemen Post reported.
The five al-Qaida militants were killed when the soldiers tried to repel the attack, the commander said.
The militants headed to Jawaf province after the attack, the commander said.
Tuesday's attack came as the army is targeting al-Qaida in the Abyan province.
At least 40 militants were reportedly killed Monday when Yemen forces and citizens repelled an attempt to occupy Lawder city, the Post said.
An Abyan official denied reports people in Lawder had fled their homes. In a statement, the official said battles with the militants occurred outside the city and people living there are safe.
Al-Qaida seized some Abyan towns in June and declared them Islamic emirates, and the militants have been fighting the army since, the Post said.
