A Yemeni warplane mistakenly struck a military site in south Yemen today, killing more than a dozen soldiers, a local security official said.
"We are not sure of the number yet, but some 18 or 20 soldiers were killed, the plane hit a small military site in Abyan. They meant to target an al-Qaeda hideout," a security official told Reuters.
However, a defence ministry source, however, denied "the false news that Yemeni soldiers were killed in an accidental Yemeni plane strike".
Yemen's army is fighting to regain territory lost to suspected al-Qaeda operatives during months of political upheaval that have weakened central government control over parts of the country, notably Abyan.
Abyan's capital Zinjibar was "liberated" from Islamist fighters by government troops last month, but clashes continue to flare there. Local officials and residents said 15 militants were killed in air strikes on the city today, while four soldiers died in combat with gunmen.
Since popular protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh paralysed impoverished Yemen earlier this year, international powers have feared growing lawlessness might embolden al-Qaeda's local wing and imperil shipping routes via the Red Sea.
Mr Saleh recently returned unexpectedly to Yemen from Saudi Arabia where he had been recovering from an attempt on his life. His surprise comeback coincided with a burst of bloodshed in the capital Sanaa when a months-old uneasy stalemate gave way to a military showdown between pro- and anti Saleh forces.
Violence has been sporadic since his return, but many Yemenis and observers fear the country may eventually slide into an even deadlier confrontation, if not civil war.
There were clashes again in Sanaa today, with residents reporting gunfire near the base of top general Ali Mohsen, who defected from Mr Saleh in March and threw his weight behind protesters calling for an end to his 33-year rule.
Reuters