ADEN, Yemen, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni air forces raided al-Qaida hideouts in the war-torn southern province of Abyan on Saturday afternoon, killing at least 25 insurgents and injuring dozens others, a local security official told Xinhua.
Two rounds of airstrike were launched by Yemeni warplanes against hideouts of the al-Qaida terrorist group in Jaar city, a stronghold of the militants, leaving at least 25 insurgents killed and dozens others injured, the security official said on condition of anonymity.
"The first air raid pounded the heavy weaponry, tanks and armored vehicles looted by al-Qaida fighters during battles with the army forces earlier last week," the official said.
"Several al-Qaida hideouts were also bombed in the second strike, which killed and injured dozens of fighters," he added.
A number of military vehicles and Katyusha rockets belonging to al-Qaida militants were also completely destroyed in the bombing, which occurred in Khanfer mountainous area in Jaar city, witnesses said.
Local residents said that huge explosions could be heard across the city as military airplanes are still hovering over the al- Qaida positions.
A close source to the al-Qaida militants confirmed to Xinhua the casualties, saying that "the air forces attempted to target places where the 73 army hostages held by our fighters."
"The heavily-guarded base of the hostages was not targeted, only some fortifications near the Khanfer mountain were attacked." the source said.
On Friday night, U.S. drones raided several hideouts of the al- Qaida operatives in Yemen's southeastern restive province of al- Bayda, killing at least 23 terrorists including three local leaders, a security official told Xinhua.
The Yemeni army and security forces have recently been attacked by the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). After battles earlier this week in the flashpoint province of Abyan, nearly 200 soldiers were killed and 73 others were held captive by the militants.
AQAP, entrenching itself mainly in Yemen's southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa, is on the terrorist list of the United States, which considers it as an increasing threat to its national security.
Yemeni newly-elected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi announced that his government is determined to confront terrorism with full force, saying "whatever it will take, we will continue to hunt terrorists down to their final hideout."
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