SANAA, Yemen, May 17 (UPI) -- The Defense Ministry said Thursday Yemeni armed forces had broken through al-Qaida's defenses in Abyan.
For the past five days, the military aided by local tribal fighters and backed by U.S warplanes and warships, intensified their assaults against al-Qaida militants in the southern province, targeting al-Qaida strongholds in Zinjibar and Jaar, a ministry statement said.
Military officers told bikyamasr.com many al-Qaida leaders had been killed in the attacks, making the group more vulnerable.
Hundreds of civilians were seen fleeing the war zone, prompting a warning from Eric Marclay head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Yemen.
"We are extremely concerned about the increasing number of casualties and about allegations of airstrikes in civilian locations," Marclay said in a release.
Yemeni security officials said two U.S. drone strikes killed seven al-Qaida militants and eight civilians in Abyan Wednesday.
At least seven civilians were severely injured in a U.S.-led airstrike, the newspaper 26 September reported, adding the death toll stood at 49 people including 31 terror militants since Sunday.
