Yemeni tribesmen say suspected militants have attacked a checkpoint in southern Yemen, killing at least 12 soldiers.
The tribesmen say Tuesday’s attack started with a mortar round fired at the checkpoint, followed by heavy gunfire that killed most of its guards. The checkpoint is near the southern city of Ataq, the provincial capital of Shabwa.
The tribesmen spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised to speak to the media.
The troops guarding the checkpoint were deployed last year to the region. They declared victory over Al Qaida’s branch in Yemen, which used Shabwa as a safe haven. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the government officials blamed it on the Yemen-based Al Qaida branch. Extremist networks, including Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Daesh, have exploited the war to expand their presence in Southern Yemen.
