ADEN, Yemen, March 29 (Xinhua) -- At least three militants loyal to the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch were killed by a U.S. drone attack in Yemen's central province of al-Bayda on Thursday, a government official told Xinhua.
Acting upon intelligence tips provided by the Yemeni authorities, a U.S. drone launched an airstrike against an al-Qaida vehicle in Sawmah in the al-Bayda province, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The three killed militants were practicing terrorist activities including encouraging local people to refuse the presence of government forces in the province.
Islamist media outlets affiliated with the al-Qaida group has yet to make comment about the drone attack.
The al-Qaida network, mostly operating in eastern and southern provinces, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces in the country.
The U.S. military has carried out several airstrikes against the fighters of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, in different provinces of the war-torn Arab country since U.S. President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against the group.
The operations included intensified overnight airstrikes and ground military raids against the al-Qaida hideouts in the mountainous areas of al-Bayda and southeastern province of Shabwa.
The Yemen-based al-Qaida, seen by the U.S. as the global terror network's most dangerous branch, has exploited years of deadly conflict between Yemen's government and Houthi rebels to expand its presence, especially in southeastern provinces.
