Drone strike kills 2 al-Qaeda militants in Yemen
U.S. regards al-Qaeda branch in Yemen as a persistent threat to the region and its own interests
file photo
By Shukri Hussein
ADEN, Yemen
Two suspected al-Qaeda militants were killed in a U.S. drone attack in southern Yemen on Saturday, according to a local source.
The two were killed when the unmanned aircraft struck their motorbike in eastern Zinjibar, the capital of the Abyan province, the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.
The U.S. and Yemeni governments have yet to confirm the airstrike.
Al-Qaeda militants have exploited the ongoing conflict between the central government and Houthi rebels to bolster their influence in southern Yemen.
The U.S., 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 in Yemen, which fell into civil war since 2014.
On Friday, the Pentagon said that U.S. warplanes launched more than 30 airstrikes in Yemen in two days.
