Drone attack kills 3 al-Qaeda militants in southern Yemen

By Ali Owaida

MARIB, Yemen (AA) - Three suspected al-Qaeda militants were killed in a drone attack Wednesday in southern Yemen’s Shabwah province.

The unmanned drone struck a vehicle in al-Watah district in central Shabwah, killing three militants, according to eyewitnesses.

U.S. drones frequently attack suspected al-Qaeda sites in Yemen.

In recent months, al-Qaeda has exploited the ongoing conflict between the central government and the Shia Houthi group to bolster its influence in southern Yemen.

The U.S. views al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula as a persistent threat to the region and its own interests.