Qaeda claims to kill 18 Houthis in central Yemen

By Mohamed al-Samei

SANAA

 An Al-Qaeda-linked group on Thursday claimed to have killed 18 Shiite Houthi militants in Yemen's central Rada'a city.

The Ansar al-Sharia group said on Twitter that the militants had been killed in a bomb blast in western Rada'a late Tuesday.

The group said that three vehicles belonging to Houthi militants had also been damaged in the attack.

Houthi leaders could not be reached for comment on the claim.

Yemen has been dogged by political turmoil since a popular uprising that erupted in 2011 toppled autocratic ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh one year later.

Last month, Houthi militants seized control of Sanaa following weeks of clashes and protests that had paralyzed the capital.

Since then, the Houthis have attempted to extend their influence beyond Sanaa to other parts of the country.

Some Arab capitals have accused Shiite Iran of supporting Yemen's ongoing Houthi insurgency.

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