Global General

Yemen: Two al-Qaida militants killed in clashes

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-04 20:36

Yemen: Two al-Qaida militants killed in clashes

A handout released to Reuters on January 4, 2010 by IntelCenter shows members of Somalia's hardline Islamist rebel group al Shabaab, whom IntelCenter described as marching with weapons during a graduation ceremony in Mogadishu January 1, 2010. Al Shabaab said on Friday it was ready to send reinforcements to al Qaeda in Yemen should the US carry out retaliatory strikes, and urged other Muslims to follow suit. Two al-Qaeda militants were killed and one injured in clashes with government forces in Yemen, a Yemeni security official told Reuters on Monday. [Photo/Agencies]

SAN'A, Yemen: Security officials say Yemeni forces have killed two suspected al-Qaida militants in a raid outside the capital.

The officials say security forces attacked a group of militants, which included Nazeeh al-Hanaq, a senior figure on Yemen's most wanted list. The clash took place on Monday as the militants were moving through the mountainous area of Arhab.

They say al-Hanaq escaped but two fighters with him were killed in the clashes. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

The clashes come as the US and British embassies in San'a extended their closure for a second day Monday, citing an active threat of an al-Qaida attack. Both countries are increasing counter-terror aid to Yemen, aiming to fight the terror group's offshoot here.