Aden, Yemen, Feb 8 (IANS): About four militants of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda branch were killed when a US drone strike hit their hideout in the central province of al-Bayda on Wednesday, a security official told Xinhua.

"A number of missiles fired by an American aircraft hit an Al Qaeda-held area in the central province of al-Bayda, leaving four militants killed at the scene," the local security official said on condition of anonymity.

"Scores of the Al Qaeda militants survived the aerial bombardment that only killed four militants and missed the others," the local security source said.

In recent weeks, the newly-recruited southern troops backed by the United Arab Emirates drove scores of Al Qaeda militants from several villages in the country's southeastern part.

The US military has carried out several airstrikes against AQAP fighters in different provinces of the war-torn Arab country since US President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against the group.

That 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.