A member of a militant group in Yemen's south says residents in the town of Jaar tried and executed a man suspected of carrying out a deadly attack for al-Qaida last year.

The local militants, known as Popular Committees, fought alongside Yemen's military to kick al-Qaida out of their towns last year. Its members have come since under attack.

A fighter in Jaar, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution, said Monday his comrades executed 45-year-old Khaled Bathur for an attack last August that killed more than 40 people during a funeral for a fellow Popular Committee fighter.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that Bathur was shot in the head, and then his body was handed over to police.