Yemen forces recapture Aden military base from jihadi militants

Yemeni forces and Saudi-led coalition troops have recaptured a military base at Aden airport on Wednesday.

Suspected jihadi militants had seized the headquarters of the military garrison at Aden airport earlier in the day.

At least seven soldiers were clashed during the initial raid on the base in Yemen's second city, military sources said.

Yemeni troops have surrounded the headquarters building where between 15 and 20 of the attackers were believed to be holed up, with exchanges of fire taking place this morning.

"We have no news of the officers who were inside the building at the time of attack," the source said.

The assailants, who were wearing military uniforms, penetrated the airport garrison after setting off one car bomb at its entrance then ramming through a second and detonating it inside, another military source said.

The twin bombs killed at least seven soldiers. "The attackers were jihadists", the source told AFP.

Associated Press reported that at least ten people were killed in a suicide car bombing on the base and that the death toll was expected to rise.

Reinforcements were rushed to the airport in the city's Khormaksar district, where they traded rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire with the militants.

Aden, on Yemen's southern coast, is home to the Saudi-backed internationally-recognised government, and has come under repeated attack from both the Islamic State group and its jihadi rival al-Qaeda.

Al-Qaeda militants have launched suprise assaults on Aden airport before.

Government forces are attempting to win back the country from Houthi rebels and their allies, but after initial successes the advance has turned to stalemate.

Aden is run by a number of pro-government and southern separatist militias, while extremist groups also operate in the area. Saudi-led Arab troops are also based in the southern city.

Saudi Arabia has been a major international backer of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and launched air raids and later ground offensives against the rebels in March 2015.

Bombing and sieges have compounded the humanitarian problems in the country, with thousands killed and half a million children suffering from life-threatening malnutrition.

Agencies contributed to this story.