Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula group, known as AQAP, captured a major airport in Yemen Thursday.

Riyan airport in the city of Mukalla, the provincial capital of Yemen's largest province, Hadramawt, came under attack by AQAP fighters with little resistance from the Yemeni troops in charge of guarding the port.

"The military unit in charge of security at the facility withdrew without resisting," said an official at the airport in Mukalla.

AQAP, considered to be the most powerful group in al-Qaida, has been exploiting the current turmoil in Yemen, caused by the Saudi-led coalition attack on the Houthi rebels, in order to gain ground in the country and the region.

Today's takeover of the major airport, comes weeks after AQAP took control of the Mukalla city and freed inmates that belonged to the group including Khaled Batarfi, one of the top al-Qaida commanders in Yemen.

Images of Batarfi at the former governor's palace were shared on social media shortly after the news of his escape.

AQAP now controls the whole city of Mukalla, which has around 200,000 inhabitants. The Associated Press also reported that the group now controls the city's main oil terminal. 

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