Drone strike kills five suspected militants in Yemen

According to officials, the strike took place in the city of Radaa on a vehicle, believed to be carrying militants.


Reuters September 02, 2012

SANAA: Five suspected militants linked to al Qaeda were killed by a US drone attack in central Yemen on Sunday in what appeared to be stepped up strikes by unmanned aircrafts on Islamists.

According to officials, the strike took place in the city of Radaa on a vehicle which was believed to be carrying militants.

“Five were killed and eight were injured and we are still investigating who these men are and in what way they were linked to al Qaeda,” an official said.

Al Qaeda in the Arabia Peninsula is based in Yemen and has mounted operations in neighbouring Saudia Arabi. It is attempting to launch attacks against the United States of America.

Washington, fearing the spread of militancy, has stepped up drone attacks this year. Atleast 14 suspected militants have been killed in air strikes apparently carried out by drones since Friday.

Earlier on Sunday, two al Qaeda linked militants and pro-government tribesmen were killed in clashes in Yemen’s restive south, according to a local official and a tribesman.

The Yemeni army helped by local tribes launched a US backed drive in May to drive Islamist militants from Ansaral-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), an offshoot of al Qaeda, out of several towns they had held for more than a year.

The two militants killed in Sunday’s violence in Abyan province were from Somalia and Pakistan, tribesman said.

Ansar al-Sharia has attracted hundreds of foreign fighters since it seized the towns in the south and declared them Islamic emirates. Some of those militants have previously fought in Afghanistan. A Defence Ministry website said that an Al Qaeda commander, Khaled Batees, was among the eight militants killed by a US drone strike in the eastern province of Harramout on Friday.

Butees had previously been captured by security forces but escaped prison last year.

COMMENTS (1)

Krishnaswamy(Roger) | 11 years ago | Reply

Drone is the very excited flying bombing bird in this world,we can control this bird from control room without any pilot,like a video game.but they use this bird only for their nation,why can,t they use this bird against terrorism for this world people's peace,because terrorism is the not only a single nation's problem this is the inter- national disease,my desire is every nations use their excitable weapons against terrorism with united actions,that only way to rectify the terrorism action,when will the world try forces join their hands against terrorism,they can't escape any where.it is very dough to establish but it is the power against terrorism.World People Is Our Real Chief ,We Must Protect Them From This Disease(Terrorism) By which one mostly expecting the WORLD ANTI TERRORISM FORCE (WAT*F)

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ