Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has expanded its operations in Abyan province after local tribal elders offered terrorists facilities and protection, the Yemeni embassy in Washington said on Saturday.

The embassy said in a statement that AQAP took advantage of the fragile situation in Yemen amid continuous protests and insecurity to expand its military operations against the army in the southern province.

The army has been battling Islamists who took control of some cities in Abyan for more than a month. Many civilians have been killed and injured and thousands fled to nearby provinces due to the confrontations.

Tribal elders colluded with AQAP through sheltering and protecting its members as well as enabling the group to recruit new members to fight the army there, the statement said.

Tribal elders don't cooperate with the current military operation to stop terrorists, it said, pointing out that almost 70 soldiers and officers have been killed and more than 300 others injured since mid-March.

The army has killed at least 50 terrorists and injured tens of them as the battles are continuing in Zinjbar, Jaar and other cities inAbyan, it said.