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Yemen al-Qaeda: Eight 'militants' die in drone strikes Yemen: 'Militants' die in fresh drone strikes
(about 3 hours later)
At least eight alleged al-Qaeda militants have been killed in Yemen in drone strikes presumed to have been carried out by the US, officials say. At least 14 suspected al-Qaeda militants have been killed in Yemen in three drone strikes presumed carried out by the US, officials say.
The number of such strikes in Yemen since late July has risen to seven. The number of such strikes in Yemen has been stepped up over the past month.
The latest attacks come a day after the authorities said they had foiled a major al-Qaeda plot against oil pipelines and ports. The latest attacks come a day after Yemeni authorities said they had foiled a major al-Qaeda plot against oil pipelines and ports.
Yemen is deemed a stronghold of an al-Qaeda offshoot considered by Washington to be the most dangerous to the West.Yemen is deemed a stronghold of an al-Qaeda offshoot considered by Washington to be the most dangerous to the West.
Yemeni security forces were placed on a high state of alert earlier in the week amid fears of an al-Qaeda-linked attack that prompted Western embassies to close. In the latest strike on Thursday evening, Yemeni officials told BBC Arabic that a drone targeted a group of suspected militants, killing four of them in Wadi al-Jadd in the southern province of Hadramout.
Two strikes earlier in the day in Marib and Hadramout provinces killed 10 suspected militants, the security officials said.
On Wednesday, another seven people died in a drone attack.
While the US has acknowledged targeting militants in Yemen with drones, it does not comment publicly on its policy or the raids.
About 30 suspected militants have been killed in a series of such raids in Yemen since 28 July, news agencies report.
Earlier this week Yemeni security forces were placed on high alert amid fears of an al-Qaeda-linked attack that prompted Western embassies to close.
Both the US and UK withdrew diplomatic staff and urged their nationals to leave the country.Both the US and UK withdrew diplomatic staff and urged their nationals to leave the country.
On Thursday, Yemeni counter-terrorism forces raided a number of addresses north of the capital Sanaa after a tip-off that they were being used by operatives of al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula (AQAP), a Yemeni security source told BBC Arabic.On Thursday, Yemeni counter-terrorism forces raided a number of addresses north of the capital Sanaa after a tip-off that they were being used by operatives of al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula (AQAP), a Yemeni security source told BBC Arabic.
In another development, a Yemeni diplomatic source told BBC Arabic that the US had suspended arrangements to return about 100 Yemeni detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison. In another development, a Yemeni diplomatic source told BBC Arabic that the US had suspended arrangements to return about 100 Yemeni detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba.
However an Obama administration official said there had been no policy change and that President Barack Obama's May decision to lift a moratorium on transferring Guantanamo detainees to Yemen remained in effect. However a White House official said there had been no policy change and that President Barack Obama's May decision to lift a moratorium on transferring Guantanamo detainees to Yemen remained in effect.
"He lifted the moratorium on transfers in favour of a case-by-case evaluation. That evaluation necessarily will take into account security conditions. The security situation is always taken into account," the official told the BBC."He lifted the moratorium on transfers in favour of a case-by-case evaluation. That evaluation necessarily will take into account security conditions. The security situation is always taken into account," the official told the BBC.
Dawn attack
One of Thursday's attacks in central Marib province targeted vehicles transporting the alleged militants at dawn. Five of the dead were Yemeni while the sixth was thought to be from another Arab state, an unnamed official told AP news agency.
The second strike, in eastern Hadramawt province, left at least two suspected militants dead.
On Wednesday, another seven people died in a drone attack.
About 30 suspected militants have been killed in a series of such raids since 28 July, news agencies report.
While the US has acknowledged targeting militants in Yemen with drones, it does not comment publicly on its policy or the raids.
According to a US think-tank, the New America Foundation, the number of US drone strikes in Yemen tripled between 2011 and 2012.