Four troops were killed and a dozen others including a colonel injured when the battles between the army and suspected Al-Qaeda fighters continued in south Yemen on Sunday, a military source said.
The casualties took place in Doufas district in Abyan's capital Zinjbar, the source said. Lately, Al-Qaeda has stepped up its attacks against forces amid reports the militants were trying to expand to other provinces.
Suicide attacks and ambushes targeted soldiers and tribesmen of those who joined the forces to fight the militants killing and injuring many of them.
In May, Al-Qaeda militants or Sharia supporters took over several city in Abyan including Zinjbar and declared the province as an Islamic emirate.