Yemeni warplanes killed at least five al-Qaida-linked militants in overnight air strikes against hideouts in southern Abyan province, a security official said today.

Yemeni government troops have killed more than 100 al Qaida fighters in the past two days in an offensive against militant hideouts in the country’s south, the interior ministry said.

Twelve protesters were killed when Yemeni security forces opened fire on a massive anti-government demonstration in the capital Sanaa.