SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

US drone strike kills five Al-Qaeda suspects in Yemen

A US drone strike targets a car in the central Marib province that was transporting arms from Yakla in Baida province.

(File Image) A Yemeni stands in front of graffiti protesting US drone operations in Yemen in December 2016.
(File Image) A Yemeni stands in front of graffiti protesting US drone operations in Yemen in December 2016. Source: EPA

2 min read

Published

Source: AFP


Skip to article content

Five suspected members of Yemen's Al-Qaeda branch were killed on Sunday in what local authorities said was a US drone strike east of the capital Sanaa. 

The early morning strike targeted a car in central Marib province that had been transporting arms from Yakla in Baida province, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity. 

The official said the car belonged to a known local leader of Yemen's Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which the United States views as the radical group's most dangerous branch.

Sunday's strike comes 24 hours after a similar raid killed three suspected AQAP operatives in southern Shabwa province, which has been a central target of the US military. 

Yakla was the target of the controversial January 29 air raid ordered by US President Donald Trump, his first since taking office. 

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

That raid, during which US special operations forces entered an AQAP compound in Yakla, killed a Navy SEAL and several Yemeni civilians, including a child with US citizenship. 

The Pentagon has confirmed more than 70 strikes against jihadist targets in Yemen since February 28.

Al-Qaeda has taken advantage of the chaos caused by more than two years of civil war in Yemen to expand its presence in the war-torn country.

The conflict pits Huthi Shiite rebels, backed by Iran, against government forces allied with a Gulf coalition led by Saudi Arabia. 

The United Nations estimates more than 7,700 people have been killed since the coalition intervened in the war. Millions also face famine this year.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world