US drone strike in Yemen kills four militants

A US drone strike in southern Yemen killed at least four Al Qaeda terrorists, Xinhua reported Saturday, citing a government official.

"The US strike pounded a vehicle with three missiles in a mountainous area in Shabwa province, killing about four members of the Al Qaeda terrorist group," the local government official said on the condition of anonymity.

A local tribal chief confirmed to Xinhua that "the US drone floated over the area and then fired rockets on a car".

"All (those) killed were tribal fighters who (had) recently joined the Al Qaeda group to take revenge for their relatives killed by previous US air strikes," the tribal leader said.

The Al Qaeda has started to recruit new fighters in south Yemen amid the nation's worsening security situation and political uncertainty, according to local Yemeni officials.

US President Barack Obama announced last week that Washington had not suspended its counter terrorism operations against the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen, following the Shia Houthi rebels' takeover of capital Sana'a.

AQAP, which emerged in January, 2009 is also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia and it is considered to be one of the greatest threats to the Yemeni government and the neighbouring oil-rich Saudi Arabia.