At least 20 people have been killed and another two dozen have been wounded in a suicide attack in southern Yemen, the BBC reported on Sunday, quoting Yemeni officials.

The attack targeted a funeral service in the city of Jaar, in the restive Abyan provice, the report said.

The funeral was for a man linked to a militia group which had helped the government army fight al-Qaeda.

Earlier this year, government troops carried out a major offensive against al-Qaeda-linked militants in Abyan after they seized several cities, including the provincial capital of Zinjibar, last spring. The army regained control over most of the region in June with the help of pro-government militias.