Drone strike in south Yemen kills 7 Qaeda suspects

ADEN: A drone strike near the southern Yemeni city of Jaar killed at least seven Al-Qaeda suspects, including a local leader, at dawn on Thursday, an official in the restive region told AFP.

"A drone, likely American, fired several rockets at a group of Al-Qaeda members northwest of Jaar killing all of them," said the official, adding seven bodies had so far been recovered.

The United States is the only country that operates drones in the region.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that "several bodies" had been identified, including one belonging to Nader Al-Shadadi, Al-Qaeda's leader in Jaar.

According to the official, Al-Qaeda militants have been trying to position themselves near Yemen's main southern cities to carry out operations against the army and the Popular Resistance Committees, local pro-army militias.

Witnesses said, meanwhile, that hundreds of Jaar's residents, both men and women, gathered in front of the headquarters of the Resistance Committees in Jaar and fired into the air to celebrate Shadadi's death. (AFP)