ADEN, Yemen - The Yemen-based al-Qaida held 50 soldiers hostage after fierce battles in the southern province of Abyan, local army officers told Xinhua on Saturday.

Fierce battles erupted late on Friday between al-Qaida militants and troops of the 25th Mechanized Brigade stationed in the southeastern outskirts of al-Qaida-seized of Zinjibar city, which ended up with holding more than 50 soldiers as hostages, the officer told Xinhua, who asked to remain anonymous.

He added that no information was available about whether the soldiers have been executed or still being held as hostages by al-Qaida militants.

Earlier, an officer of the besieged 25th Mechanized Brigade told Xinhua that they lack water and other supplies due to the heavy encircle by al-Qaida militants and the delay of the arrival of support.

The army forces have engaged in fierce battles for more than a month with local al-Qaida militants after the latter took control of the Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of Abyan province.

Gulf countries and western community fear that the unrest in Yemen could make it as strong footholds for the terrorist groups that would possibly threaten one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.