Al Qaeda attacks kill more than 30 troops in Yemen
Yemeni soldiers attend the funeral procession of nine police cadets who were killed when an Al-Qaeda suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of a police academy, in Sanaa on July 14, 2012.
A string of attacks by Al Qaeda killed over 30 Yemeni troops in the country's south early Friday, a Yemini military source told the Associated Press.
Major Raed Mohammed Nasser told the AP troops were targeted at dawn in the lawless Shabwa area, and also attacked in the Maysaa and Kamp areas under the cover of heavy fog.
The attackers detonated two car bombs at an army camp in Shabwa, killing 20 soldiers, the BBC reported. Another 10 were shot dead at a different base.
Yemini sources told Reuters the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) group was believed to be behind some of the violence.
The United States considers the AQAP one of the world's most dangerous extremist networks, and has assisted Yemen in military efforts to curb their influence.
Extremists gained a foothold in Yemen amid political upheaval tied to the so-called Arab Spring unrest in 2011.
The government has since launched a campaign to push them out of the country.
US drone strikes have killed several suspected militants in Yemen, including some of the group's key leaders.