<p>The fighting took place near Dofes, a village south of the provincial capital of Zinjibar that has been occupied by extremist elements since the end of May, the source said.<br /><br />“Al-Qaeda fighters hidden in a wooded mountainous area opened fire on army units heading from Dofes to Zinjibar to try to rejoin the 25th Mechanised Brigade,” which is encircled by the Islamists, the source said. The casualties were taken during “several hours of fighting that ensued,” the officer added.<br /><br />On Thursday, an air strike killed eight suspected al-Qaeda members in the same restive province, a local official said, adding the hit could have been carried out by a US drone.</p>
<p>The fighting took place near Dofes, a village south of the provincial capital of Zinjibar that has been occupied by extremist elements since the end of May, the source said.<br /><br />“Al-Qaeda fighters hidden in a wooded mountainous area opened fire on army units heading from Dofes to Zinjibar to try to rejoin the 25th Mechanised Brigade,” which is encircled by the Islamists, the source said. The casualties were taken during “several hours of fighting that ensued,” the officer added.<br /><br />On Thursday, an air strike killed eight suspected al-Qaeda members in the same restive province, a local official said, adding the hit could have been carried out by a US drone.</p>