ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni security forces backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched a large military operation against al-Qaida in the country's southern province of Abyan on Saturday, a security official told Xinhua.

The newly-recruited security troops backed by the UAE forces operating in Yemen, as part of the Saudi-led coalition, began an anti-terror military operation against key al-Qaida hideouts in the southern province of Abyan, the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

He said that several hideouts of al-Qaida militants located in Omeiran Valley of Abyan's Mudiyah district were heavily attacked by the UAE-backed forces from different directions.

"After receiving information, the security troops backed by armored vehicles moved to storm Omeiran Valley that contains a number of al-Qaida hideouts and other training camps," the local source said.

Warplanes of the UAE armed forces intervened to support the forces on-ground by launching several airstrikes against al-Qaida hideouts as well as some arms caches belonging to the group, according to the Yemeni source.

A government official told Xinhua that "the anti-terror operation mainly aims at seizing full control over all hideouts of al-Qaida group in Omeiran Valley and kicking the terrorists out of the area."

The source said that the Yemeni forces engaged in heavy armed confrontations with al-Qaida militants in the same area, causing casualties from both sides

The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network mostly operating in eastern and southern provinces, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country.

Provinces of Abyan and Shabwa, former main strongholds of AQAP, have been also the scene of sporadic attacks or heavy clashes between UAE-backed security forces and al-Qaida militants from time to time.

The AQAP, 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.