ADEN, Yemen, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen inmates of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch managed to escape from a prison controlled by the Shiite Houthi rebels in central province of al-Bayda on Saturday, a security official told Xinhua.

According to the security source, who asked to remain anonymous, the escape followed a rebellion that erupted inside the Political Security (Intelligence) prison controlled by Houthis in al-Bayda province.

"The guards around the prison who were badly injured failed to resist or put down the prisoners rebellion," the source said.

"Even the weapons of the guards were seized by the al-Qaida inmates who fled to unknown locations," the source added.

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.

Scores of al-Qaida militants are engaged in the ongoing fighting against the Shiite Houthis in al-Bayda province and other Yemeni provinces.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, seen by the United States 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. Enditem

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