LONDON — Fighting between Al Qaeda and Yemeni military in the southwest corner of that country appears to be intensifying.   The Director of Security for Shabwa province tells Fox News 28 militants were captured today by the military.  Medical sources there also tell us that 4 Yemeni soldiers have been killed today.

The fighting happened in and around the town of Hawta, a known hide-out for Al Qaeda.  More militants are holed up in the town and we are told they are using civilians as human shields.

The operation is in response to an attempted attack last week by terrorists on a key natural gas pipeline which runs near the town.

The US-born radical Yemeni cleric Anwar Al Awlaki is believed to be hiding out in a town 60 miles from the fighting.  Yemeni government sources deny to Fox News, however that he is involved in the current fighting.