(CNN) -- A Yemeni government aircraft mistakenly bombed its own troops, killing 29 soldiers, a security official told CNN on Sunday. The incident occurred Saturday night in southern Abyan province, where Yemeni forces have been battling Islamic militants, said the Yemeni security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The attack was an accident, and many lives were lost," said the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media. State-run Saba News Agency denies an attack took place against soldiers in Abyan. The soldiers were using a school on the outskirts of Zinjibar, the capital of the Abyan province, as a launching pad to strike at militants in the area when they were bombed, the official said. Militants have been fighting government forces since May, when they announced the province was an Islamic emirate.
Official: "The attack was an accident and many lives were lost" The soldiers were struck while using a school as a launching pad to strike at militiants, the official said . State-run Saba News Agency denies the attack took place .