A high-ranking member of Al-Qaeda in Yemen was killed Sunday in a clash between several suspected militants of Al-Qaeda and security forces in the province of Abyan in the south of Yemen, a senior Interior Ministry official confirmed to the Saudi Okaz newspaper.

The official was quoted as saying the Saudi national was killed while five others have been seized by the security forces. "Seven Al-Qaeda members were also killed in the shooting."

Meanwhile, local sources revealed on Monday that security forces were sent out to track down the about 60 Al-Qaeda members, who were believed to be members of the Yemen's Islamic Liberation Front, the country's largest Al-Qaeda group in Abyan province.

Yemeni troops together with security forces have been pursing some sub-commanders of the Al-Qaeda in Abyan region who launched deadly attacks on security forces earlier this week, according to the same sources.