Suspected al-Qaida attack kills 5 Yemeni soldiers

Suspected al-Qaida gunmen killed five Yemeni soldiers in an attack in the southern province of Abyan on Monday, a military official told Xinhua.

"The soldiers managed to foil the terrorist attack after a brief exchange of fire with the attackers," the local military official said on condition of anonymity.

At least two of the suspected al-Qaida attackers were killed during the fighting, according to a source close to the Yemen-based al-Qaida group.

The al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It is considered one of the greatest threats to the Yemeni government and neighboring oil-rich Saudi Arabia. Endit