Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, declared its allegiance to Ayman Al-Zawahiri who was appointed as head of the global Al-Qaeda organization after killing Osama bin Laden months ago.

U.S. media outlets cited Al-Qaeda English language magazine INSPIRE as saying that AQAP will support Al-Zawahiri, who played a key part in founding Al-Qaeda, to lead the terrorist network.

The army has been fighting suspected Al-Qaeda militants in the southern province of Abyan for almost two months killing many of them including wanted leaders.

In the past few years, Yemen launched a massive hunt and battles against AQAP members across its territory after they vowed more attacks against local and foreign interests inside the country. Many terrorists has been killed, injured and arrested, with some of those arrested going on trial and receiving jail and death sentences.

AQAP was formed in early 2009 when Al-Qaeda wings in Yemen and Saudi Arabia merged and since then the group has been responsible for dangerous terrorist plots inside and outside Yemen.

The group was described by the U.S. as most dangerous than the main Al-Qaeda group of Osama bin Laden.

In recent years, it has drawn the world's attention to Yemen with some countries concerend of the existence of terrorists in Yemen which receives support from the U.S. and other regional and world countries to fight terrorism.