Drone Kills Four Qaida Suspects in Yemen

Four suspected al-Qaida members were killed in an apparent U.S. drone strike on the jihadists' stronghold in southeastern Yemen, a local official said Thursday.

The raid late on Wednesday targeted a 4x4 transporting the four suspects near Mukalla, capital of Hadramawt province, with a missile leaving the vehicle charred, the official said.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), viewed by Washington as the most dangerous affiliate of the jihadist network, has controlled Mukalla since its militants overran the coastal city in April.

The United States, the only country known to operate armed drones over Yemen, has carried on with strikes on militants during months of fighting between pro-government forces and Shiite Huthi rebels.

AQAP said in June that its leader in Yemen, Nasir al-Wuhayshi, had been killed in a drone strike.