Drone strike kills Qaeda suspect in Yemen: security source

A presumed US drone strike in southern Yemen killed an Al-Qaeda suspect and wounded two more today, a security official said.

The strike hit a vehicle carrying the three jihadists in the eastern suburbs of Ataq, the capital of Shabwa province, the source said.

The United States has carried out numerous drone strikes against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula operatives in Yemen.

American officials said this month that the US military had killed three AQAP fighters in a strike, also in Shabwa.

On Wednesday, drone strikes killed seven Al-Qaeda suspects in south and east Yemen.

AQAP and the Islamic State group have exploited a power vacuum created by the conflict between the government and Iran-backed rebels to expand their presence in the Arabian Peninsula country.
 

The US has vowed to continue its campaign against AQAP, which it considers to be the Al-Qaeda network's deadliest franchise.

A Saudi-led Arab military coalition that backs the Yemeni government has also turned its sights on AQAP, targeting it with air strikes.

The coalition is supporting pro-government forces which launched an offensive this year to retake several towns from AQAP.