A suicide bomber killed at least eight soldiers in an attack on a military camp in Yemen's southern city of Zinjibar at dawn on Friday, a local official and residents said.

The bomber, wearing a military uniform, struck Najda Camp in the Abyan provincial capital along the coast from second city Aden where the government has its headquarters.

He failed to get through the gate and heavy exchanges of gunfire ensued as other attackers tried to penetrate the base.

Residents said they heard a loud explosion at dawn in the city, the capital of Abyan province. The bomber was suspected to be an al-Qaeda member, the local official said.

Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since March 2015 between the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which is backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, and Iran-allied Houthi rebels.

At least 10,000 people have died in the mostly stalemated conflict, which has unleashed a humanitarian and hunger crisis in the already poor Arabian Peninsula country.