SANAA, Yemen — A Yemeni military official says 50 soldiers are missing after battling Islamic militants in the south of the country.

The official said Saturday that the soldiers have been missing since Thursday, following fierce clashes with the al-Qaida-linked group Ansar al-Sharia in the southern city of Zinjibar.

On Thursday, 15 soldiers and eight Islamic militants were killed in fighting.

The military official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn not authorized to speak to the press.