US drone strike kills 3 civilians

A US drone strike in southern Yemen killed at least nine suspected al-Qaida militants and three civilians on Saturday.

A Yemeni military official said the early morning strike had hit a vehicle carrying militants in the Sawmaa area of al-Bayda province and a passing car carrying civilians.

An official investigating the strike said it hit a white SUV, tossing it some 60 feet.

And a civilian survivor claimed explosions continued for 30 minutes until another drone struck near their car, killing one of his companions and wounding him.

The strike killed three civilians and wounded three others, according to medical officials.

Later on Saturday, Yemen’s Supreme Security Council described it as “an air strike by Yemeni authorities.”

It claimed the attack had killed 10 members of al-Qaida who planned to attack “vital civilian and military institutions” in the area.

The committee admitted that three civilians had died in the attack.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is blamed for a number of bomb plots aimed at US personnel.

Yemen’s army, supported by US drone strikes, has pushed its fighters back, but clashes continue.

However, civilian casualties have sparked anger in the country and among human rights groups.

According to the non-partisan New America Foundation, the US has launched 99 drone strikes in Yemen since 2002.

There was no immediate US comment on the attack.

The US generally acknowledges military drone strikes, but typically not those carried out in CIA operations.