Yemeni official: Drone kills 2 al Qaeda militants

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A suspected U.S. drone strike has killed two al Qaeda militants in a car in Yemen’s south, a Yemeni official says.

Tribal officials there said four militants were killed. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Yemen's military has been on a weeks-long offensive to uproot al Qaeda from strongholds captured during Yemen’s yearlong internal political turmoil. The U.S. has been helping, as it considers al Qaeda’s Yemen branch to be the group’s most dangerous.

The official told the Associated Press by telephone from Shabwa that the two militants were known for ties to al Qaeda and provided shelter for militants.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity according to regulations, said the car took a direct hit and burst into flames. He identified the militants as Hussein Rubay and Fahad al-Harithy.

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