Commander of the military camp 25 mica which was freed on Saturday after four-month siege by Al-Qaida in south Yemen said 80 soldiers were killed and 600 others injured when the army retook Zinjbar.

Muhammad Al-Sawmali said the armed forces are hunting the militants who escaped from Zinjbar to Jaar and that the forces still face the main battle to free Jaar. 

The army with support from Saudi Arabia and the U.S. cleared Zinjbar, Abyan’s capital, of Al-Qaida militants who took over several cities in the southern province in May and declared the province as an Islamic emirate.

Local said on Saturday forces and military vehicles including tanks were seen on the main streets and that the militants escaped to Jaar.

Meantime, a leader of the Sharia supporters of Al-Qaida militants was quoted by newsyemen.net as saying that the militants withdrew from Zinjbar because of continuous air strikes by U.S. drones on their hideouts.

“Tens of us have been killed and injured in the strikes which also killed civilians,” the leader said. The website also quoted the leader as saying that surprises will be seen in the coming days and vowing a victory against the soldiers and hordes of tyrants who fight Muslims.