Four al-Qaeda fighters and two members of tribes that support the military also died in the clashes that were ongoing mid-morning in Loder, a stronghold of the terror network in restive Abyan province, they said Down News reported.
The barracks, home to the 111th Armoured Brigade of the Yemeni army, had come under fire from the insurgents early in the morning and soldiers returned fire, military sources said.
Heavy fighting ensued as the soldiers were backed by tribesmen.
The attack came after air strikes killed 24 suspected al-Qaeda militants in their strongholds in southern and eastern Yemen at the weekend, according to the defence ministry and a tribal chief.
Source : Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), International Service