US drone strikes Al Qaeda-held area in Yemen

Aden Yemen Feb 8 (IANS) About four militants of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda branch were killed when a US drone strike hit their hideout in the central province of al-Bayda on Wednesday a security official told Xinhua.

"A number of missiles fired by an American aircraft hit an Al Qaeda-held area in the central province of al-Bayda leaving four militants killed at the scene " the local security official said on condition of anonymity.

"Scores of the Al Qaeda militants survived the aerial bombardment that only killed four militants and missed the others " the local security source said.

In recent weeks the newly-recruited southern troops backed by the United Arab Emirates drove scores of Al Qaeda militants from several villages in the country s southeastern part.

The US military has carried out several airstrikes against AQAP fighters in different provinces of the war-torn Arab country since US President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against the group.

That included intensified overnight airstrikes and ground military raids against the al-Qaida hideouts in the mountainous areas of al-Bayda and southeastern province of Shabwa.

--IANS
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