Yemen troops kill 12 'Qaeda men'

Yemen's armed forces killed 12 suspected al-Qaeda militants in an assault on their mountain hideout in the country's restive south, an official in the region said yesterday.
The military used artillery and aircraft to target the hideout near Shaqra, 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the Abyan capital of Zinjibar, in the operation late on Friday, the official said on condition of anonymity.
Among those killed was Belidi Tawfiq, the brother of one of Al-Qaeda's leaders in Abyan province, the official added.