At least three suspected al- Qaida militants were killed early Saturday in an airstrike in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, an army officer said.

"On an intelligence tip, two warplanes of the Yemeni air forces bombed an al-Qaida gathering in the town of Mahfad, in the southern province of Abyan, killing at least three terrorists," the army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The al-Qaida network has not made any comments so far.

Last week, the Yemeni interior ministry said two airstrikes by the air force killed five suspected al-Qaida members in Abyan.

The al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), based in Yemen's southern region, repeatedly said its attacks were launched in revenge for joint US-Yemeni operations, including drone strikes, against the group.

The Yemeni government said more than 40 suspected AQAP fighters were killed in the strikes during the past few months.