Al-Qaeda branch claims attack on Yemen defense ministry
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 6 December 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Al-Qaeda branch claims attack on Yemen defense ministry, 6 December 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/52e659a414.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
December 06, 2013
Smoke rises from the Yemen Defense Ministry's compound in Sanaa after a terrorist attack on December 5, which killed at least 52 people.
An Al-Qaeda branch in Yemen has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on the Defense Ministry compound in the capital, Sanaa.
Al-Mallahem, Al-Qaeda's media arm on the Arabian Peninsula, said on its Twitter account early on December 6 that it had attacked the Defense Ministry building the previous day because it "accommodates drone control rooms and American experts."
The claim of responsibility was also posted on militant websites that usually carry Al-Qaeda statements.
The coordinated attacks killed at least 52 people, including foreign medical personnel, and wounded at least 167 others.
A suicide car bomber rammed his vehicle into the ministry compound, opening the way for gunmen to attack the complex.
It was the deadliest attack in Sanaa since May 2012.
Yemen has been going through a turbulent political transition since President Ali Abdullah Saleh was ousted in February 2012 after a year of deadly protests against his 33-year rule.
Based on reporting by AP and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
