28 Al Qaeda men arrested in Yemen

SANA’A - Twenty-eight suspected Al Qaeda militants were arrested Wednesday in Yemen’s Shabwa province where a military offensive was launched against the terror outfit, the defence ministry said.

A battle between security forces and Al Qaeda fighters was on in the outskirts of Hota town. The military launched an offensive with tanks and also air-dropped paratroopers, Xinhua quoted security director of Shabwa, Ahmad al-Magdashi, as saying.

A local security official said at least six soldiers and two rebels were killed in initial clashes Wednesday. Among the two militants killed is the son of top Al Qaeda leader Abdullah al-Mihdhar, who was killed seven months ago.

Yemen is the ancestral homeland of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.