Aden, Nov 7 (IANS): Two soldiers from Yemen's pro-government forces were killed in an al-Qaeda bombing targetting a military patrol in the country's southern province of Abyan on Thursday morning, a local security official said.

The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said an explosive device detonated as the patrol was conducting routine duties in the eastern part of Mudiyah district.

The source confirmed that the explosion killed two soldiers and injured at least five others, Xinhua news agency reported.

The device, planted by al-Qaeda operatives, was remotely detonated as the military patrol passed through the area. The patrol was reportedly part of the pro-government forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Since late 2022, STC and government security forces have been leading a joint counter-terrorism operation against al-Qaeda in the Mudiyah district and other areas of Abyan province.

Despite these ongoing efforts, the Yemeni government has struggled to prevent al-Qaeda factions from exploiting the country's civil war and power vacuum to expand, particularly in the south.

Yemen has been mired in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis battling the internationally recognised government.