The Yemeni authorities carried out a successful airstrike on Tuesday killing one of the most Al-Qaeda wanted leaders and six other fighters including foreigners, two days after Al-Qaeda bomber killed and injured scores in Abyan province, Saba reported.
The airstrike in the Manasih area, Baidha, targeted Abdullah Awadh Al-Masri, known as Abu Osama Al-Maribi, who was the officer in charge with explosives production and one of the most dangerous leaders of Al-Qaeda in Baidha, it said.
The six others terrorists included Abu Jaafar Al-Iraqi, a Bahraini, Abu Al-Bara Al-Sharori, a Saudi, Abu Musab Al-Masri, an Egyptian, Abu Hafsa, a Tunisian and Ibrahim Al-Sakhi, a Yemeni, Saba said.
In Abyan where an Al-Qaeda bomber killed about 45 pro-government fighters and injured tens others two days ago, the authorities killed two terrorist suspects and arrested three others.
The operations came within an extensive hunt for Al-Qaeda militants who were reported to have planned to regroup and recruit new fighters after their defeat in the south in the past few months.
The Yemeni army drove militants out of their strongholds in Abyan and Shabwa provinces in May and has launched a hunt for the remaining militants.
In retaliation, Al-Qaeda has carried out deadly attacks in several Yemeni cities including the capital Sanaa targeting military and security leaders, personnel, cadets and offices.
More recently there have been reports warning of Al-Qaeda comeback in Yemen coinciding with sporadic raids on villages and camps in some key towns.