At least six al-Qaeda militants were killed by the Yemeni security forces in southern Yemen, the Dubai-based Al Arabiya television reported Monday.
The fighting which has been raging since Saturday in the town of Zinjibar raised the death to 11. Yemeni forces killed five Islamist militants in the same town Saturday, the broadcaster said.
Security has collapsed across Yemen amid the nine-month popular uprising aiming at ousting President Ali Abdullah Saleh, DPA reported.
The uprising has allowed Al Qaeda militants to take advantage of the situation and establish some strongholds in areas in southern Yemen especially in the Abyan province.
In May, a militant group calling itself "Ansaar al-Sharia" took over regions of Abyan and announced it an Islamic Emirate.
Yemeni security forces have been fighting for months to push the militants out of Zinjibar and nearby areas.