Al-Qaeda militants have declared that buildings belonging to French energy producer Total in Yemen are "legitimate targets" for their operations.

The militant organization said on Twitter on Sunday that Muslims who work in the French multinational company's establishments in Yemen should stay away from the buildings.

Al-Qaeda had claimed a Thursday attack by two Katyusha rockets at a gas liquefaction plant co-operated by Total in Balhaf gas export terminal on the Gulf of Aden – the country's largest-ever industrial project.

It claimed on Sunday that the plant had been used as a base for launching drones used to strike militant sites in Yemen.

The Balhaf terminal's administration had said that Al-Qaeda's rockets, of which one fell into sea, left no casualties or material damage.

It also said that the attack has not halted the terminal's operations but maintained that security had been reinforced at its perimeter.

The Belhaf terminal, built at a total cost of $4.5 billion and which went online in 2009, exports liquefied natural gas to Asia and Europe.

French energy giant Total holds a 39.6-percent stake in the project.

World Bulletin/News Desk