The Yemeni authorities revealed on Tuesday an Al-Qaeda plot to retake control of cities in the southern province of Abyan including former strongholds such as the strategic city of Jaar, the interior ministry reported.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, entrusted the remaining members of its offshoot, Ansar Al-Sharia, in Abyan and Al-Qaeda affiliates in Lahj province to implement the plot, the ministry said.

The Yemeni army launched earlier this year a US-backed offensive and drove the militants out of their strongholds in Abyan and Shabwa provinces.

Hundreds of militants including senior were killed, injured and arrested and the army regained key towns in Abyan including the capital Zinjibar and Jaar during the offensive.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni authorities have been hunting the remaining Qaeda operatives across the republic killing and arresting tens of terrorist suspects and dismantling Qaeda cells including those responsible for deadly suicide attacks in recent months.

The US drones have largely contributed to targeting key militant leaders and operatives mainly in southern and southeastern regions.

Al-Qaeda militants have lately carried out deadly raids against military bases in Abyan killing and wounding tens of soldiers.

The raids indicated Al-Qaeda has started to regroup and reminded the people of similar raids on army bases last year when Al-Qaeda was still on its strength.

"The plot meant the militants have not learned a lesson from the severe blows including the golden swards operation which drove them out of their strongholds in this province earlier this year," officials at the ministry were quoted as saying.

"Yemen is well-prepared to eradicate terrorism and face like the plots and the militants will receive severer blows this time," they added.