Yemen's army and security forces engaged in violent confrontations with armed elements believed to be affiliated to al-Qaeda all day Tuesday (February 28th) and into Wednesday morning in the towns of Zinjibar and al-Kud in southern Yemen, Egypt's al-Youm al-Sabie daily reported.

The newspaper reported that the Yemeni army used artillery and Katyusha rockets to bombard Zinjibar, Bajdar and an area near the Abyan provincial building, where flames were seen rising from behind the governor's office where two militants' vehicles were set ablaze.

Five militants were killed in the rocket and artillery bombardment.

The newspaper reported that that the Yemeni army has sent in additional reinforcements to the forces in the two fronts of Zinjibar and al-Kud, Abyan province, as part of preparations to storm the cities of Jaar, Zinjibar and surrounding villages in the province, and cleanse them of al-Qaeda militants who have been based in the province for 10 months.