Yemen Drone Strikes Kill Nine

In Yemen, two suspected US drone strikes were carried out Thursday, leaving nine people dead. Officials say they are believed to be Al Qaeda militants. Yemen has been on high alert since last week after international terror attack warnings were issued by the US and others.

The first drone strike came in Yemen’s central Marib province, killing six, according to Yahoo! News. A second came in the southern province of Hadramawt, leaving three more dead. An official speaking anonymously says both strikes hit militants in moving vehicles. At the sites, charred bodies were found with no survivors.

These drone strikes mark the seventh such attack in Yemen in less than two weeks. 31 people have been killed in drone strikes in that time.

The Obama administration has been seen aggressively targeting militants in Yemen in recent times. This includes the local branch of Al Qaeda known as the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

The government in Yemen has been in full cooperation with the US, also working hard to push the AQAP out of their country. The AQAP has managed to become a significant force in Yemen, having launched successful attacks against the government since 2011. Briefly, AQAP militants managed to control parts of southern Yemen.

Yemen officials say they recently uncovered terrorist plots aimed at foreign embassies in their country. They say harbors and oil plants were also targeted. But, because of precautions taken by the military in Yemen, they say these attacks have been prevented, CBS News reports. One of these precautions includes a shoot-to-kill order to be used against anyone acting suspicious.

The increased drone strikes since July 27 are believed to be connected to these terror plot warnings. Though the US has not confirmed it, there have been drone strikes almost daily in Yemen over the last two weeks.

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