Clashes in Yemen leave at least 36 dead: officials
An image taken with a mobile phone allegedly shows an armed vehicle driving in Loder, in the restive southern Abyan province, as clashes continued between Al Qaeda militants and the Yemeni army forces on May 16, 2012.
Yemeni officials said clashes between militants and Yemeni troops on Saturday left at least 36 people dead in the country's restive south, according to the Associated Press.
More from GlobalPost: Yemen: At least two militants killed in suspected US drone strike
The violence took place as part of a joint US-Yemeni military campaign meant to oust extremists from the region, where they had gained a hold during last year's political upheaval, reported Reuters.
Officials said 22 militants and 12 soldiers were killed in fighting in the country's southern Abyan province, said Reuters.
Separately, local officials said a US drone strike killed two militants in an attack in Bayda, in the center of the country, said AP.
US-backed drone strikes have been on the rise in Yemen since February, when President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office, said Reuters.
Washington is concerned about extremist activity in the region, believing the country's Al Qaeda-linked group to be among the world's most dangerous.
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