Al Qaeda fighters seize Yemen town

Al Qaeda took full control of a town south of the Yemeni capital, capturing army positions and storming a prison to free up to 200 inmates.

The militants threw a security ring around Radda in Bayda province, preventing residents leaving or entering and killed two soldiers and wounded a third in clashes with the army.

The capture of Radda, about 100 miles south of Sana'a, points to the growing strength of al Qaeda in Yemen as it continues to exploit the weakness of a central government struggling to contain nearly a year of political unrest.

The fighters pushed into Radda from several points they had captured over the weekend including a castle overlooking the town, a school and mosque. Some of the freed inmates joined them after being given arms.

Islamist militants have already seized territory and towns in Abyan province in southern Yemen.