Units of the army forces supported by air forces killed at least 40 al-Qaida militants during airstrikes and fierce clashes since Monday in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, the country's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

Army troops of the 25th Mechanized Brigade supported by air forces and local citizens repelled several offensive attacks and killed at least 40 al-Qaida militants, the ministry said.

Two soldiers were killed and 20 others were injured during the armed clashes, which were still going on around the 25th Mechanized Brigade, according to the ministry.

Earlier the day, local army officers told Xinhua that at least five al-Qaida militants and two civilians were killed in air raids carried out by the Yemeni air forces against al-Qaida targets.

Al-Qaida militants imposed a tightened siege on the 25th Mechanized Brigade from all sides since a month ago.

Government forces have carried out intensified air strikes against al-Qaida hideouts during the past two weeks after the militants seized two largest Abyan's cities of Jaar and Zinjibar, about 480 km south of the capital Sanaa.