Sana'a, June 11 (IANS) At least 21 Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants were killed by the army Saturday during clashes in Yemen's Abyan province, Xinhua quoted the country's defence ministry as saying.

 
 The army forces killed 18 Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants in Zinjibar city and three others in Lauder city during fierce clashes, said the ministry.
 
 A storage of ammunition and weapons belonging to the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants was destroyed completely.
 
 Earlier in the day, five army soldiers were killed in clashes with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants, a military official said.
 
 Al Qaeda's regional branch, known as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula operates in Yemen. It is a militant Islamist organisation, primarily active in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.