Yemeni army pushes back against al-Qaida

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SANAA, Yemen, May 24 (UPI) -- Yemeni armed forces advanced against al-Qaida militants in Zinjibar, a stronghold of the terror group, Thursday and officials said the town was almost free.

Ever since al-Qaida moved into the southern province of Abyan in 2011 Yemen has been in a battle for control over its territories unable to prevent Islamist advances.

This month, President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi vowed to expel al-Qaida from Yemen, launching the country's biggest military operation against the terror group.

Al-Sahwa online newspaper quoting military sources said, "the army is in the middle of Zinjibar and soon to be in control of the town."

At dawn Thursday, al-Sahwa said warplanes pounded al-Qaida positions destroying a warehouse where the group was storing its weapons and military equipment.

The Yemen Post said government armed forces were also moving against Jaar – another al-Qaida stronghold – adding seven soldiers had been injured in the clashes.