Wednesday, January 23, 2013
U.S. drone kills four al Qaeda members in Yemen - sources
SANAA (Reuters) - A U.S. drone killed four suspected al Qaeda militants on Tuesday in a strike on their car in northern Yemen as they drove away from a militant training ground, according to tribal sources and local officials, the fourth such attack in four days.
The United States never comments on strikes by its pilotless aircraft, which it has used to track down militants in Yemen for years. The Yemeni government tolerates such strikes but usually does not comment on the U.S. role in specific incidents.
Washington has scaled up action against al Qaeda in Yemen, where the group exploited widespread anti-government unrest in 2011 to seize swathes of territory in the south.
It was subsequently driven out by a military offensive in June last year.
The four men were travelling in a vehicle through the desert in the Yemeni province of al-Jawf, near the border with Saudi Arabia, a tribal source told Reuters, declining to be named.
"The strike targeted a gathering of al Qaeda members who had made the area a centre for training. One of the cars was hit and everyone inside was killed ... the others fled," a local official told Reuters, also declining to be identified.
Shoring up stability and security in Yemen is a priority for the United States and its Gulf Arab allies because of its location next to the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, and to shipping lanes, and because it is home to one of the most active wings of al Qaeda.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is considered by Western governments to be one of the most dangerous arms of the global network founded by Osama bin Laden, and has attempted a number of attacks against U.S. targets.
Another four suspected insurgents were killed in a strike in central Yemen on Monday, while six more were killed in drone strikes in Maarib on Saturday and Sunday. A further 10 suspected al Qaeda fighters died in an explosion in a house in southern Yemen on Sunday.
But discontent at the drone strikes is growing. Earlier on Tuesday, a Yemeni cabinet minister criticised drones and urged a move to ground operations to avoid hurting civilians.
On Sunday armed tribesman, angry at what they said was a drone attack on an area inhabited by civilians, blocked the main road linking Maarib with Sanaa.
Earlier this month, dozens of armed tribesmen also took to the streets in southern Yemen to protest against drone strikes that they said had killed innocent civilians and fuelled anger against the United States.
(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Raissa Kasolowsky; Editing by Alison Williams)
- Copies of Opposition tabloids seized for violating permit
- Rally organisers told to adhere to Act or face the music
- Three held over May 13 statements
- Umno leaders back police action against those who utter seditious remarks
- KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
- Thousands throng thanksgiving rally by DAP
- Set aside differences, Malaysians told
- Fernandes does his first firing in Apprentice Asia
- Adam pleads not guilty to giving seditious speech
- Large migrant population a security risk to Sabah, RCI told
- Arrest of Opposition figures not political, say cops
- Pakatan uncowed by seizure of party organs
- NUJ slams attacks on journalists covering vigils
- MACC starts probe into payment in rape-marry case
- PKR condemns arrest of trio
- Google, like Facebook, in talks to buy Waze for about US$1bil
- Crown selling entire 10% in rival Echo, partly owned by Genting
- First edition of 'Great Gatsby' to be sold at auction, can fetch US$150,000
- Malaysia leads the way in Basel III debt
- Markets face rough summer ride as Fed pullback feared
- Wall Street sags, HP hits 52-week high
- Commodities trader sues BP, Shell others for alleged oil price fixing
- Billionaire Icahn seeks up to US$7bil for Dell bid
- Google faces new federal antitrust probe
- Goldman Sachs unveils checks on conflicts in bid to fix tarnished image
- Air Asia's Tony Fernandes to ‘fire up’ investors
- Maybank bullish on growth, to expand regionally under new leadership
- Khazanah appoints Nor Mohamed deputy chairman
- Lafarge Malayan Cement to finalise next expansion plans by August
- Daibochi expanding exports to S-E Asia and Australia
- Kingston leads, McIlroy in Wentworth woe
- LPGA plans 12-hole rounds in water-logged Bahamas
- Ryan Palmer sizzles with 62 to seize lead at Colonial
- Kelly overcomes scare to clinch title in KLGCC
- Time to make amends Garcia wants to meet Woods to defuse racist row
- American Johnson back to defend Colonial crown
- Rain dampens debut of LPGA Bahamas event
- Tianlang adds another US event to schedule
- Clock ticking for next golden generation
- Nadal wants to create history at Roland Garros
- Serena out to tame French Open demons
- Zheng Jie stuns Wozniacki in Brussels
- Ashour racks up 38th successive win
- Nicol David sails into quarter-finals of British Open in 35 minutes
- BAM must stop rewarding mediocrity or be doomed
- KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
- Fernandes does his first firing in Apprentice Asia
- Rally organisers told to adhere to Act or face the music
- Thousands throng thanksgiving rally by DAP
- Three held over May 13 statements
- Adam pleads not guilty to giving seditious speech
- Copies of Opposition tabloids seized for violating permit
- Umno leaders back police action against those who utter seditious remarks
- DJ stands by hubby in molest case
- Large migrant population a security risk to Sabah, RCI told
- Singapore GDP growth surprises, beats economists’ forecast of contraction
- KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
- Three held over May 13 statements
- Lower profit for Unico-Desa, hit by depressed CPO prices
- Malaysia leads the way in Basel III debt
- Daibochi expanding exports to S-E Asia and Australia
- TDM to expand plantation and hospital ops
- Lafarge Malayan Cement to finalise next expansion plans by August
- Google faces new federal antitrust probe
- Danajamin names non-exec director
RSS
