Leading al-Qaeda figures said to have been among 55 militants killed in US-backed strikes on remote mountain base.
Dozens of
al-Qaeda militants were killed in a US-backed drone strike in a remote region
of Yemen, officials announced.
In a
statement, the Yemeni government said that 55 militants had been killed,
including three senior al-Qaeda operatives.
The attacks,
which took place in at least three waves over the weekend and included ground
forces from the Yemeni military, appear to mark an escalation in the use by the
US of drones to target al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Experts are
now said to be examining the dead in a bid to identify them. There were
unconfirmed reports that Ibrahim al-Asiri, known as al-Qaeda's master
bomb-maker, was among those who lost their lives.
Three
civilians were also killed.
Unconfirmed
reports say that Ibrahim al-Asiri was among those who lost their lives
(Reuters)
The base,
located in remote mountains in the south of Yemen, was one of the largest
established by the terror group, and included weapons and food stores as well
as training grounds and a vehicle compound.
In the
statement, the Yemeni government said the base was being used to launch attacks
on civilian and military facilities.
It quoted
Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Yemen’s president, saying: “The operation delivers a
strong message to the criminal and terror operatives that the armed forces and
security personnel are ready to foil and thwart terrorist acts in any time and
place.”
Pentagon
officials refused to comment and the White House referred reporters to the
Yemeni government.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Add Your Comment Below