14 killed as militants ambush security post in Yemen
Suspected al-Qaida militants on Tuesday attacked a security post in southern Yemen, sparking clashes that killed at least eight troops and six militants, officials said.
The early morning attack in Ahwar, in the province of Abyan, targeted a post manned by troops from the Security Belt, a security force loyal to the secessionist Southern Transitional Council.
The separatist council is backed by the United Arab Emirates and controls much of Yemen's south. It is at odds with the internationally recognized government.
Brig. Abdou Megali, a military spokesman for the internationally recognized government, said at least eight troops and six militants were killed in the attack. Among the dead was a senior commander in the the force fighting terror groups in Yemen, the Security Belt said in a statement. It also said a number of troops were also wounded in the attack.
No group claimed responsibly for the ambush. But it bore the hallmarks of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP.
AQAP has long been considered the global network's most dangerous branch, and has attempted to carry out attacks on the U.S. mainland.
AQAP, along with an affiliate of the Islamic State group, are active in several regions of Yemen and have taken advantage of the yearslong civil war to make inroads.
Yemen's war pits Iran-backed Houthi rebels against the internationally recognized government, which is aided by a Saudi-led coalition. The UAE is part of the coalition.
Source: Associated Press
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