Governor of Abyan Gamal Al-Aqel has expected to cleanse al-Qaeda militants of Jaar, the main stronghold of the militants, within two days.
Locals affirmed that the Yemeni army deployed around the town and imposed a siege against it, pointing out that the military forces arrived in Al-Hisin area, 3 kilometers away of Jaar.
An Emirati newspaper, Al-Khaleej, quoted Al-Aqel as saying that Lawdar town was completely cleansed of the militants, reiterating that they escaped to neighboring areas and that troops pursue them.
Al-Aqel, who is currently based in Lawdar as the capital of Abyan still under the control of Al-Qaeda, affirmed that military units backed by local committees started to centre on the outskirts of Jaar in preparation to launch inclusive operations to cleanse it form Al-Qaeda.
"Achievement of full military victory in the war on al Qaeda is imminent" he added.
Yemeni forces launched an offensive last week to capture Al-Qaeda controlled areas in the province of Abyan after the Yemeni President Abdu Rabo Masnour Hadi vowed to defeat Al-Qaeda and return the displaced civilians to their homes.
The United States is exerting great efforts to support and encourage the Yemeni forces in their efforts to dislodge al-Qaeda from Abyan province and its capital, Zinjibar. US experts were sent to Yemeni to advise the Yemeni army in its fight against Al-Qaeda.
Media sources said the US has sent nearly 45 counter-terror trainers to Yemen in an effort to strengthen the Yemeni government’s ability to fight al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen was able to exploit the chaos and tool control on some towns, primarily in the south.