Military officials and residents say al-Qaeda has taken control of a major airport in southern Yemen after briefly clashing with troops. The officials say al-Qaeda fighters clashed Thursday with members of the infantry brigade in charge of protecting the Riyan airport in the city of Mukalla, a major port city and the provincial capital of Yemen's largest province, Hadramawt. Al-Qaeda overran the city itself earlier this month and freed inmates, including a militant commander, from its prison. Nasser Baqazouz, an activist in the city, said the troops guarding the airport put up little resistance. Al-Qaeda's powerful local branch has exploited the chaos in Yemen, where Shia rebels and military units loyal to a former president captured the capital in September and have been advancing despite a three-week Saudi-led air campaign. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/127865.aspx
