10 policemen killed in suspected Al Qaeda attacks in Yemen

At least ten police officers were killed in coordinated attacks carried out by suspected Al Qaeda militants on government and police buildings in Yemen Wednesday.

Militants armed with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the central town of al-Bayda province and a number of police and government offices there, Xinhua reported citing a military officer.

"The pre-dawn attacks were coordinated, and simultaneously targeted the security bases and headquarters of the local government," the military source said.

"Dozens of (suspected) Al Qaeda attackers raided the special security forces base and two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices targeted the government complex and the police checkpoints around it at the same time," sources said.

At least six military cars were smashed and ten more were set on fire in the well-planned terrorist attack.

The attacks come just a day after Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi named Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, director of his office, as the country's next prime minister.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks and no official confirmation has come from the defence ministry.

Yemeni military officials had previously blamed militants of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda offshoot for a series of assassinations and armed attacks in the country's southern parts.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, which emerged in January, 2009, is considered one of the greatest threats to the emeni government and neighbouring oil-rich Saudi Arabia.