Al-Qaeda Fighters Leave Yemeni Town Of Jaar

Al-Qaeda fighters have withdrawn from the southern Yemeni town of Jaar after the army intensified its offensive to regain control of areas seized by the group, officials and residents say.

The state-run SABA said troops swept into Jaar early on Tuesday, sparking fierce clashes and forcing fighters to flee towards another al-Qaeda stronghold, the southern coastal town of Shaqra.

The fighters had controlled Jaar, in the southern Abyan province, for more than a year.

Clashes in the town between the two sides had left 28 dead, two of them soldiers, military and local officials said on Monday. The fighters had occupied an army-owned munitions factory in the town.

Locals said they saw vehicles carrying armed men, weapons and furniture heading east towards Shaqra. Fighting there over the past day has left eight fighters dead, a military official said.

The fighters distributed pamphlets in the town apologizing to residents for dragging Jaar into a conflict with the army and for the damage caused by the fighting, according to locals.

Yemeni forces launched an all-out offensive on May 12 aimed at reclaiming towns and cities lost to al-Qaeda over the the past year, including Abyan’s capital Zinjibar.

The group took control of large swaths of southern Yemen during last year’s turmoil linked to the uprising against then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Since the offensive began, 485 people have been killed, according to an AFP tally combined from different sources. This includes 368 al-Qaeda fighters, 72 soldiers, 26 local armed men and 19 civilians.