Yemeni army pushes back against al-Qaeda

Yemeni armed forces advanced against al-Qaeda militants in Zinjibar, a stronghold of the terror group, Thursday and officials said the town was almost free. Ever since al-Qaeda 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-Qaeda 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-Qaeda 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-Qaeda stronghold – adding seven soldiers had been injured in the clashes.