Yemen troops clash with militants, toll hits 25

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni troops defending a key southern city battled suspected al-Qaida militants for a second day Thursday, killing at least seven of them and raising the militant death toll from the clashes to 25, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the clashes took place in the southern city of Sayoun, one of the biggest in the province of Hadramawt. Security reinforcements have deployed over fears that Yemen’s al-Qaida franchise might try to seize the city.