Heavy skirmishes in the Yemeni province of Dhale between suspected Al-Qaeda militants and Yemeni security forces have killed ten individuals, including two policemen and seven terrorists, according to local officials and media sources.

Fighting occurred Friday evening inside the headquarters of the government’s Security Belt troops, north of Dhale city, according to a local security official, after a number of captured Al-Qaeda militants refused to lay down their rifles and began shooting at security personnel.

“The forces that arrested those militants made a mistake by not disarming them immediately after arresting them and allowed them to carry weapons till they reached the headquarters,” the security official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

When security forces urged the militants to hand over their weapons in order to enter the building, they started hurling grenades and firing machine guns, resulting in severe confrontations and explosions.

Among that slain were Waled Saleh Hasan Al-Dhami, deputy commander of the Security Belt in Dhale, and Mohammed Yahiya Al-Shubaji, head of a counterterrorism squad.

According to the official, another soldier perished along with seven insurgents, and at least six servicemen were injured in the firefight.

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