SANAA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni security forces killed an al-Qaida figure in a raid in southern province of Shabwa, the official news agency Saba reported Wednesday.

    The report cited a security official source of the Interior Ministry as saying that Abdullah al-Mihzhar, a leader of a local group of al-Qaida, was killed late Tuesday in Maifa'ah district during clashes with security forces.

    The source added that security forces have laid siege since early Tuesday on the house of al-Mihzhar at Houtah town, Maifa'ah district. The police also captured four suspected al-Qaida members during the raid in Shabwa.

    Governor of Shabwa Ali Hasan al-Ahmadi said two policemen were killed in an ambush at Saieed area set by terrorists.

    On Tuesday, security forces arrested four suspects of al-Qaida group in fierce clashes in Maifa'ah district.

    Yemen has launched a crackdown on suspected al-Qaida fighters and killed dozens of them in the district of Arhab, some 40 km from the capital Sanaa, and in southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa.