Yemen army death toll jumps to 185

The number of soldiers killed in a weekend assault by Al Qaeda militants on an army camp in Yemen’s restive Abyan province has risen to 185, a military official said yesterday following the discovery of more bodies. “The toll has risen to 185 soldiers killed” in the Sunday attack on a military camp in Kud, just south of the main city of Zinjibar, the official said. “The bodies of 110 soldiers are in military hospitals while the rest of the bodies, found in the desert, were placed in refrigerated rooms,” in military hospitals, the source said. General Ali Salah, deputy chief of staff for military operations, was appointed to form an inquiry commission to investigate the attack, the source added. Military officials reported fierce clashes on Sunday when suspected Al-Qaeda militants tried to overrun an army post in Kud. The violence then spread to other military positions on the outskirts of the city. At least 25 Al Qaeda gunmen were killed and several others wounded, an official from the nearby militant stronghold of Jaar said. He also said at least 56 soldiers were captured by Al Qaeda, including seven officers and 10 wounded soldiers.