Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) on Thursday blew up a 700-year-old mosque in Yemen's south-west province of Lahj.

The Sheikh Omar Ali al-Saqaff mosque was targeted by the militants presumably on the basis that they oppose its Sufi Islam affiliation.

#Yemen : Al Qaeda blew up 700 year old Sheikh Omar Ali AlSaqaff mosque (Sufi) in Lahj province y'day. Photo @DrJaiash pic.twitter.com/5rYn3qawcI — Haykal Bafana (@BaFana3) August 7, 2015

#Yemen : This is what's left of the 700 year old mosque in Lahj after AQAP militants bombed it. Photo @AJAlsaqqaf pic.twitter.com/ymmB9S2CeB — Haykal Bafana (@BaFana3) August 7, 2015

Al Qaeda have a far-reaching presence in Yemen, although they do not control vast amounts of territory.

The group, viewed by the United States as al-Qaeda's most dangerous branch, has grown in power as Yemen has become embroiled in a civil war supplemented by a Saudi-led coalition launching a campaign of airstrikes to push back Houthi militiamen.