SANAA // At least 22 Yemeni soldiers were killed and 28 others captured in a dawn attack by suspected Al Qaeda militants in the province of Abyan.
Security and local officials said the attack on two army camps outside the city of Zinjibar also wounded said 12 other soldiers and netted the militants ammunition and weapons.
The army responded by shelling strongholds of the rebels in Zinjibar, under Al Qaeda control since May last year, according to a security official. He said that at least 15 militants were killed.
The attack came hours after the death of Fahd Al Quso, a senior Al Qaeda leader, in an US drone air raid. Al Quso was wanted in connection with the 2000 bombing of the US navy destroyer, the USS Cole, in Aden, that killed 17 sailors and wounded 40 more.
Al Quso's was on an FBI list of most-wanted terrorists and a reward of up to US$5 million (Dh18m) was offered for information leading to his arrest.
"Al Qaeda has recently lost important leaders in drone strikes and this shows that the militants are being penetrated," said Saeed Al Jemhi, a Yemeni researcher who has written a book on Al Qaeda in Yemen. But he said he did not expect Al Quso's death to have much effect on the organisation.