Al Qaeda claims attack near US embassy in Yemen

Sana'a, Sep 28: The

in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for a rocket attack near the US embassy in Sana'a Saturday evening, in which five Yemeni soldiers were wounded.

A rocket hit a vehicle west of the US embassy, wounding five security guards, a security official told Xinhua, adding more soldiers have been deployed to protect the mission.

The attack was to avenge the U.S. drone strikes in the northern province of al-Jawf that killed AQAP followers, including three children, the group said in a statement posted on its website.

Tribal sources told Xinhua over phone that at least two Al Qaeda militants were killed in a US drone strike Friday night and three children were injured.

A day ago, another US drone strike killed four suspected Al Qaeda militants in the southern province of Shabwa, according to security and tribal sources.

The U.S. embassy, meanwhile, said in a message that "they have no reason to let them think that the attack was exactly targeting their embassy". "The Yemeni government is now investigating the incident."

Security in Sana'a deteriorated due to clashes between the government and Shiite Houthi group last week that has left more than 400 people killed.

IANS