Yemeni army regains control over last stronghold of al-Qaeda

A Yemeni tank moves past a military truck on a highway near the southern city of Zinjibar The Yemeni army declared on Friday that it has regained control over the southern city of  Shakra in Abyan governorate,  after fierce battles with fighters from Ansar al-Sharia , an affiliate of al-Qaeda. Shakra city was one of the last strongholds held by the group.  This follows the recapture of Zinjibar and Jaar by the army on Tuesday which had been under al-Qaeda control for more than a year.
According to Yemen's ministry of defence website, units of the 26th Brigade of the Republican Guard,  111th  Infantry Brigade,  Second Mountain Infantry Brigade, Central Security and Public Security and "the heroes of the  People's Committees were able to recapture  Shakra, the last stronghold  under the grip of al Qaeda and Ansar al-Sharia  in Abyan governorate". The website message went on to praise the People's Committees which, it said, "were at the forefront in the fight against the terrorists who fled leaving their dead, wounded and equipment."
Major General Mohammed Rageh Labuza, deputy chief of general staff of reinforcement affairs, clarified that what he described as “terrorists”, received heavy blows as thirty elements of different nationalities were left for  dead in addition to a large number of wounded, and their weapons destroyed. He added: “the rest of them fled towards Ahwar and Azzan where air and naval forces together with coastal defence were prepared to intercept what he described as "criminal elements who are trying to flee from fire to hell,”
Local and military sources in Shakra said the army and the People's Committees accessed  Shakra city  from the southwest after clashes with al-Qaeda forces who had earlier fled from Zinjibar and Jaar after the two cities were recaptured by government forces. Military sources announced that army troops found about twenty bodies belonging to Ansar al-Sharia fighters on the outskirts of Shakra, a naval gateway through which Somali militants are believed to have accessed the country to fight with al-Qaeda in Yemen.
Sources, speaking to Arabstoday, said  that al-Qaeda militants withdrew to the southern city of Azzan in Shabwa governorate  which they have controlled since April 2011, while others fled to the rugged mountains near Shakra. Local sources believe that the Emir of Ansar al-Sharia  in Abyan, Gamal Blaidy whose nickname is Abu Hamza Al Zinjibari, accompanied by a number of armed men fled to Jabal al Maraqishah mountain area. .
In a separate development,  the Yemeni air force on Friday afternoon, launched a number of air raids on al-Qaeda bases on the outskirts of Azzan. No casualties have yet been reported by either side. Local sources described  that government troops stationed in Hadramout governorate in the east, had moved to the ??Azzan region in Shabwa in order to regain control of the area from al-Qaeda which had previously declared the region as an "Islamic emirate".
A military source said that Yemeni army forces killed 15 al-Qaeda militants  in clashes between soldiers from the 2nd Naval Brigade in the Nishema region of Shabwa governorate  which is  close to the liquefied natural gas project. The battle lasted for three hours last night to gain control of the natural gas control station and export pipelines.. The source reported that there is no damage to either the station or the pipelines.
Local sources reported to Arabstoday that gunmen from Ansar al-Sharia tried to seize control of the region yesterday,  but violent clashes broke out between soldiers based at a military supply point for the army which led to the killing and wounding of dozens of militants. However, a statement released by the al-Qaeda affiliate admitted to the deaths of just five of their men adding that the attack at the military point resulted in  victims among government soldiers.
The army and People's Committees have fought  for over three days. Sources claim at least 25 militants were killed during the past few hours while military sources have not confirmed any loss of life of government troops.. The ministry of defence announced the deaths of 40  in Friday's clashes.