Yemen troops die in “friendly fire bombing”

At least 25 soldiers have been killed after Yemeni warplanes bombed army positions in the south of the country, local officials and medics said. The government has denied the reports. Yemen troops die in “friendly fire bombing” The bombing, on Saturday evening at a 119th brigade base near Zinjibar in restive Abyan province, was followed by attacks by militants, reports say. It is unclear how many troops died in the bombing, or if it was an error. However, Yemeni TV said no such air strike had taken place. Reports say the 119th brigade has joined a rebellion against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The militants, allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, have exploited the chaos brought by months of anti-government protests to step up activities in the area. The army is fighting to regain lost territory and took Zinjibar back from the militants last month. Opposition groups say Yemen's government has played up the al-Qaeda threat in an effort to boost international support. Medical sources at a hospital in the province told the BBC they had received a number of dead bodies. "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 news agency. A military official told AFP that militants later attacked the base and "killed even more soldiers". Violence raging in the south has sparked fears of a humanitarian crisis in the Gulf Arab republic, which has been on the brink of civil war since some military units and tribal groups joined anti-government protests in recent months. Protesters rallied in Sanaa on Sunday to demand the removal of Saleh, who has refused to step down despite international pressure. Hundreds of people have been killed since protests began in January. There were also reports of gunfire near the base of rebel Gen Ali Mohsen. Saleh returned to the country more than a week ago after months of treatment in Saudi Arabia for injuries sustained when his residence was bombed. The latest incident in the south comes days after the killing of U.S.-born Islamist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki by a suspected U.S. drone in the east of the country. Seen as a key figure in al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Awlaki had been on the run in Yemen since December 2007.

Yemen troops die in “friendly fire bombing”

The bombing, on Saturday evening at a 119th brigade base near Zinjibar in restive Abyan province, was followed by attacks by militants, reports say.

It is unclear how many troops died in the bombing, or if it was an error.

However, Yemeni TV said no such air strike had taken place.

Reports say the 119th brigade has joined a rebellion against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The militants, allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, have exploited the chaos brought by months of anti-government protests to step up activities in the area.

The army is fighting to regain lost territory and took Zinjibar back from the militants last month.

Opposition groups say Yemen's government has played up the al-Qaeda threat in an effort to boost international support.

Medical sources at a hospital in the province told the BBC they had received a number of dead bodies.

"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 news agency.

A military official told AFP that militants later attacked the base and "killed even more soldiers".

Violence raging in the south has sparked fears of a humanitarian crisis in the Gulf Arab republic, which has been on the brink of civil war since some military units and tribal groups joined anti-government protests in recent months.

Protesters rallied in Sanaa on Sunday to demand the removal of Saleh, who has refused to step down despite international pressure. Hundreds of people have been killed since protests began in January.

There were also reports of gunfire near the base of rebel Gen Ali Mohsen.

Saleh returned to the country more than a week ago after months of treatment in Saudi Arabia for injuries sustained when his residence was bombed.

The latest incident in the south comes days after the killing of U.S.-born Islamist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki by a suspected U.S. drone in the east of the country.

Seen as a key figure in al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Awlaki had been on the run in Yemen since December 2007.