Eight suspected al-Qaeda militants were killed as Yemeni air forces raided hideouts in the country’s south.

Eight suspected al-Qaeda militants were killed as Yemeni air forces raided hideouts in the country’s south.

Dozens others were injured in the raids that took lace in Abyan province.
"The Yemeni air force carried out two air strikes that targeted Al-Qaeda positions on Friday... killing eight militants and wounding dozens," said the ministry's news website 26sep.net.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a decline in Yemeni central government control that accompanied Arab Spring-inspired protests since last year and eventually forced veteran president Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign.

The army, has been battling the extremist group's Yemeni branch, over the control of Abyan province, most of which has fallen under the command of the insurgents.