Yemen's army pressed an offensive against southern towns held by al-Qaeda-linked fighters, with 11 militants and five soldiers killed in the clashes, military officials said, according to AP.

Clashes around the town of Jaar, which fell to the militants more than a year ago, left eight al-Qaeda fighters and two soldiers dead over the past 24 hours, they said.

Another three al-Qaeda fighters and three soldiers were killed after militants ambushed an army supply column northeast of Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province.

Yemen's army claims it has retaken most of Zinjibar, captured in 2011 by militants taking advantage of political turmoil to extend their control over large swaths of territory in the south.

The officials said the army continued its cautious advance toward the nearby town of Jaar supported by heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling. They say militants are entrenched in the town after most of the civilian population fled.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.

Residents who managed to flee Jaar said the army dropped fliers calling on citizens to stay away from combat zones.