Drones strike down Al-Qaeda militants

Five suspected Al-Qaeda fighters have been killed in two air strikes in Yemen's southern province of Abyan in a series of US drone strikes, officials said.

Yemen's Ministry of Internal Affairs held that militants were killed but failed to disclose whether the strikes were launched by the Yemen or the US. However, officials in Abyan, a Al-Qaida stronghold told international news agencies the strikes were carried out by American drones. Abyan homes a number of militant groups responsible for last year's uprising that ousted veteran president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Abyan is regarded by the US as one of the most active wings of the militant network, posing a serious threat to western interests including oil tanker traffic in the Gulf.

Last year, the Yemeni army drove Al-Qaida militants and their allies from their southern strongholds. But jihadists regrouped and mounted attacks on government officials and installations.