Two senior members of Al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch were killed in a suspected US drone strike in the central province of Bayda, local officials told Reuters today.
The strike, which took place in Al-Ridaa district, was the third in central Yemen in a week. Previous strikes targeted regional commanders in Bayda and nearby Maarib province.
The United States acknowledges using drones to combat Al-Qaeda in the country, but does not comment publicly on attacks.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has exploited Yemen’s civil war to carve out a foothold in the impoverished country. Several leaders of the group have been killed by drone strikes in recent years.