American forces have carried out an operation in central Yemen, using ground forces and air support to target a compound used by al-Qaeda militants, the U.S. military says. At least 7 alleged militants are said to have been killed.
The counter-terrorism operation was carried out in the central province of Marib on early Tuesday morning, according to U.S. Central Command, which said such raids provide an insight into the group’s capabilities and intentions.
“During this operation, U.S. forces killed seven AQAP militants through a combination of small arms fire and precision airstrikes,” the military said in a statement, referring to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). There were no reports of casualties among U.S. forces.
U.S. Central Command said the operation was conducted with the support of the Yemeni government.
The operation took place about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of a botched raid in late January that resulted in the deaths of up to 23 civilians, including a newborn baby and 10 other children..There were no immediate reports of civilian casualties as a result of Tuesday’s operation..
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has orchestrated a number of high-profile attacks over the past decade, including the January 2015 shooting attack against the Paris offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people and injuring several others.
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