A senior security official in Abyan said that most governmental forces have evacuated Abyan province after fierce clashes with Islamic militants.

This comes as a blow to government efforts to clean the province from suspected al-Qaeda militants.

However, an official in Abyan said to Yemen Post that the majority of fighters killed in Abyan over the last three weeks have not been al-Qaeda members, but rather civilians or Islamic militants.

He explained that Abyan militants call themselves "Ansar Share'a", which means the "defenders of Islamic law."

The government fears that the spread of the Islamic militancy in Abyan, Lahj, and Aden could be as big of a risk as al-Qaeda.

Thousands of Jihadists exist in southern provinces, though they almost never attack western targets.

Government is making its stance clear and that they will target anyone causing chaos in the country.

Clashes with Islamic fighters has backlashed, as militants are now spreading to neighboring provinces.