a u.s. drone strikes killed at least eight suspected al-Qaeda militants in Yemen on Thursday, bringing the number of people killed by drones in less than two weeks before at least 25.
The strikes follow Yemen announcement Wednesday that it uncovered a conspiracy by Al Qaeda capture two major oil and gas export terminal and the provincial capital in the East of the country.
Warnings about potential attacks had pushed Washington to complete missions in the Middle East and the United States of America and Britain to evacuate staff from Yemen.
Witnesses and local officials in Maareb, mostly desert region in the South-East, where militants had taken refuge, said drones fired at two vehicles suspected of carrying Al Qaeda militants at dawn, killing six people.
Residents saw two vehicles grow in flame and rumble circled the air for a while after the attack.
Another two were killed in the eastern region of Hadramaut, local officials said.
At least 25 suspected militants were killed since July 28, when drone strikes killed at least four members of the Ansar Al Sharia, a local militant group linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula (AQAP), one of the most active branches of the network founded by Osama bin Laden.
More violence in northern Yemen also took place on Thursday, when five of the Salafis, followers of the puritanical Sunni Islam, Shiites were killed in an ambush.
The attack occurred in Saada, a town near the border with Saudi Arabia in approximately 130 km (80 miles) North of the capital, Sana. Rebel Houthi Shiite Saada for several years.
Five Salafis driving vehicle when they came under fire in an ambush, which injured another two, Serour Al Salafi group representative Wadei in Saada, told Reuters.
The Shiite Houthi rebels in the northern province of Saada have that Yemeni forces tried to crush the uprising. Saudi Arabia's military intervened in 2009 to a cease-fire picked up for next year.
Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries, is one of the few countries where Washington recognizes the orientation of militants with drone strikes, although he did not publicly comment on the practice.
United States sources told Reuters that intercepted communications between bin Laden's successor as the leader of Al-Qaida, Ayman al training and AQAP was one part of the intelligence behind the alert that prompted the closure of the Embassy last week.
Security in Yemen was a global problem. Home to AQAP, is considered one of the most aggressive branches of the global organization of militants, it shares a long border with Saudi Arabia, an ally of the United States and oil exporter in the world.
Government of the United States supports Yemen forces with funds and logistical support.
Yemeni authorities a statement early Tuesday "25 most wanted listing of terrorists", he said, planned to carry out attacks in the country during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which began Thursday. They offered five million rials Bounty for information leading to their capture.
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