YEMEN - Al-Qaeda militants attacked a checkpoint and killed three soldiers last Sunday, said a security official on Tuesday. “The security apparatus believes al-Qaeda was behind the killing of the three soldiers yesterday,” the official said.

Reuters related to the official that five tribal leaders in Shabwa are negotiating with al Qaeda members to give themselves up, he said, referring to tribal sheikhs in Shabwa province mediating between the government and Islamist militants in the area.

Minister Muttahar al-Masri said that around 30 suspected al Qaeda militants have been killed recently.

Meanwhile Yemeni and Saudi officials announced that the Yemeni authorities have captured 20 members of al-Qaeda organization of Saudi nationality in the past few weeks. The Saudi officials said that the 20 members arrested by the Yemeni security apparatuses were among the 84 wanted.