Al-Qaeda suspects surrender in Yemen

Fifteen suspected Al-Qaeda members have surrendered to the governor of the south Yemen province of Abyan, a security official said on Tuesday. The fifteen surrendered to Ahmed al-Mayassari on Monday, the official said, adding that the men had joined Al-Qaeda about a year ago.

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"Some of the men played an important role in the recent clashes between Al-Qaeda and the army in Loder and Mudia," two towns in Abyan, the official said.

The defence ministry's 26sep.net news website quoted a local administration spokesman as saying that six of the men who surrendered are dangerous and are on a Yemeni wanted list.

Tribal authorities are negotiating for the surrender of six other alleged Al-Qaeda members, including the jihadist group's local leader Abdul Monaam al-Fahtani, the spokesman said, adding that the talks could be concluded shortly.

Abyan and adjacent Shabwa province have become major fields of operation for Al-Qaeda as the central government in Sanaa struggles to impose its control on the region's heavily armed tribes.