At least 26 people were killed in an attack on a military base in the southern Yemen, medical and military sources said.
Suspected al-Qaeda Militants first attacked the coastal base, in the town of Shuqra in the province of Abyan, today with an explosives-laden car. The men, dressed in army uniforms, drove into the base.
Moments later, more militants attacked the base from the sea, a military source said.
At least 13 soldiers and 13 suspected al-Qaeda members were killed in the attack.
At least 15 other soldiers were injured in the fighting.
Violence has intensified in Yemen in recent weeks. The United States, wary of the growing power of al-Qaeda, has stepped up drone strikes on suspected militant positions and militants have increased attacks on army targets.
Yemen's wealthier Gulf neighbours and Washington are concerned that al-Qaeda and other Islamist militants operating in Yemen could pose a threat to oil producer Saudi Arabia and to nearby shipping lanes.
The Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and other militant groups strengthened their grip on parts of the country during an uprising that ousted veteran President Ali Abdullah Saleh in February.
Reuters