Yemeni security authorities arrested three al-Qaida militants in the southern province of Abyan on Thursday, a government official told Xinhua.

The security forces detained three members of the al-Qaida terrorist group in a military operation in the mountainous area of Marakasha in Abyan province, the local official said on condition of anonymity.

"The captured al-Qaida militants were transferred to the military intelligence headquarters in Abyan for questioning," the government source said.

"Weapons, explosives and leaflets were seized by the security forces during the operation," he added.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, known locally as Ansar al- Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), took advantage of a political upheaval in 2011 in Yemen to take over several towns of the southern restive regions.

The militants were targeted by Yemeni security authorities after an offensive launched in Abyan months ago routed the militants out of their strongholds that they had controlled for nearly a year.

The Yemeni government have beefed up anti-terror operation since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February 2012. Endi

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