Clashes kill 60 Yemeni soldiers in southern province

The fighting broke out after the militants attacked a military base near the southern city of Lawdar on Monday, an unnamed security official told Xinhua.

"The situation in Abyan is quite bad... until now we do not have the specific number of casualties among the al-Qaeda group," he said.

The official added that the town is still under control of the government troops.

The city of Lawdar is located some 150 kilometers (95 miles) northeast of Zinjibar, the Abyan provincial capital.

In another attack, gunmen attacked a military checkpoint in the southern city of Aden on Monday, killing two soldiers.

A large number of Yemeni soldiers have lost their lives in clashes with al-Qaeda militants in southern regions.