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Four al-Qaida operatives killed in US drone strike in Yemen

Xinhua, February 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Four al-Qaida militants branch were killed in a U.S. drone bombing in Yemen's southeastern province of al-Bayda on Monday, a military official told Xinhua.

"Missiles fired from a U.S. drone hit and destroyed a small pick-up truck in Maswrah district in al-Bayda province, killing four terrorists onboard," the local military official said on condition of anonymity.

The killed al-Qaida militants were responsible for several direct attacks on security checkpoints of al-Bayda province, the military source said, adding that they were involved in killing and injuring of dozens of security personnel over the past few months.

On Saturday, a U.S. drone strike bombed al-Qaida members in a vehicle in Yemen's southeastern province of Shabwa, leaving four militants killed.

The impoverished Arab country has seen persistent unrest since 2011 when mass protests forced former President Ali Abdullash Saleh to step down.

President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took over power in 2012, but submitted resignation to the parliament on Jan. 22 amid standoff with the Houthi group.

Yemen has since been facing growing secessionism and Al-Qaida networks in the south and armed groups, including the powerful Houthi in the north. Endit