Officials in Yemen say airstrikes targeting Islamist militants in the country's south have killed three people.

The officials said Monday the strikes hit the Abyan province town of Jaar, which is under control of militants linked to al-Qaida.

On Saturday, Yemeni defense officials said clashes between government forces and al-Qaida in the province killed at least 30 people, with casualties on both sides. They said 18 militants and nine soldiers were killed in Saturday's fighting in the coastal town of Zinjibar.

Yemen had been battling al-Qaida and separatists before anti-government unrest erupted earlier this year.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh is recovering in a Saudi hospital from serious injuries sustained during a recent explosion in his presidential compound.

Anti-government activists have renewed calls for Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur Hadi to start the process of setting up a transitional government council. Opponents have been calling for Mr. Saleh to leave office immediately.

But peace talks have stalled as Mr. Saleh rejected several overtures from Arab Gulf neighbors to unlock the political impasse.