Via Associated Press:
SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A suspected U.S. drone strike in Yemen killed six alleged al-Qaida militants Thursday in one of the group’s former strongholds in a central province, a military official said.
The strike — the sixth by a U.S. drone over the past 10 days — came as Yemen remained on high alert following threats of a terror attack targeting Western and Yemeni government interests.
So far, about 29 suspected militants have been killed by unmanned U.S. aircraft in an apparent stepped-up drone war in Yemen. While the United States acknowledges its drone program in Yemen, it does not confirm individual strikes or release information on how many have been carried out.
The Yemeni official said Thursday’s attack took place in the province of Marib, targeting a car carrying the suspected militants in the district of Wadi Ubaidah, some 175 kilometers (109 miles) east of the capital, Sanaa.
Bodies of the suspected militants were seen lying charred alongside their vehicle, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.
Five of the killed militants were Yemenis while the sixth was believed to be of an Arab nationality, he said.