Suspected Al-Qaeda militants killed three Yemeni soldiers and wounded five on Tuesday in new fighting for the southern city of Zinjibar.

Suspected Al-Qaeda militants killed three Yemeni soldiers and wounded five on Tuesday in new fighting for the southern city of Zinjibar, medical and military officials said.

"We have received the bodies of three dead soldiers," said a medical official at Aden's military hospital, adding that five others were wounded.

A military official confirmed the casualty toll, adding that the fighting was for control of eastern parts of Zinjibar which are still held by the Al-Qaeda linked militants.

The Yemeni government announced on Saturday that troops had liberated the city from the militants who overran it in May.

But military officials later said that parts of the city remained in the hands of the militants and witnesses said that dozens more militants arrived in Zinjibar from the nearby town of Jaar on Monday.

At least 230 Yemeni soldiers and 50 tribal auxiliaries have been killed in the battle for the city, the defense ministry said on Sunday.

US monitoring service SITE Intelligence reported that Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has threatened revenge for an air strike in Jaar which killed seven civilians last week.

In a statement released on Al-Qaeda-related forums on Tuesday, AQAP said none of its fighters were killed in the September 5 raid but vowed it will not "pass without punishment."