Dozens of al-Qaeda militants have been killed in a series of air raids in the mountainous south, officials say, according to BBC News.

They told the AP news agency that government forces had taken the al-Qaeda base of al-Rahha after three days of strikes.

The raids follow a militant attack on a nearby army base last week.

Islamist militants have renewed attacks since President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February. He has made fighting al-Qaeda a top priority.

One unnamed official told the AFP news agency that 38 militants had been killed after days of shelling and bombing in the province of Lahj.

The militants have taken advantage of a year of anti-government protests and have been locked in deadly battles with the army for months.