By Murad al-Arifi

SANAA

An al-Qaeda suspect was killed in a drone strike in central Yemen on Monday, according to a local security source.

The airstrike targeted a car carrying Al-Abi, a senior al-Qaeda leader, in the central Al-Bayda’ province, killing him on the spot, the source told Anadolu Agency, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.

There was no comment from the militant group on the report.

Al-Qaeda militants have exploited the ongoing conflict between the central government and Houthi rebels to bolster their influence in the country’s south.

The United States, which regards al-Qaeda branch in Yemen as a persistent threat to the region and its own interests, has used drones to hunt down al-Qaeda leaders Yemen, which fell into civil war since 2014.