Yemen's Defence Minister Major General Muhammad Nasir Ahmad (L) shakes hands with a soldier as he tours an army barrack in the southeastern province of Shabwa April 28, 2014 in this handout photo provided by Yemen's defence ministry. REUTERS/Yemen's Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters
ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni troops, backed by air force planes, launched a major offensive against al Qaeda strongholds in the south of the country on Tuesday to try to eradicate the Islamist militant group that had killed hundreds since 2011.
A local official said at least five Yemeni government soldiers were killed in the fighting, in which hundreds of volunteers from a local militia known as the Popular Committees are taking part.
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