The statement today said the militants were killed in a strike this week in Abyan province that left their vehicle burned to a shell. The statement didn't specify the day of the attack.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is based in Yemen, is considered by the US to be the most dangerous offshoot of the terror organization in the world.
Yemen's military waged a wide offensive against the group last year, driving militants out of their strongholds in the south of the country. Since then, the group has carried retaliatory attacks, while the US has launched dozens of drone strikes targeting suspected members.