Suicide bomber kills Yemen intelligence officer

A suicide bomber on Wednesday killed a Yemeni army intelligence officer when he detonated his explosive-laden car in a market, a security official said.

The can detonated in the local market in the southern city of Ataq in Shabwa province, where al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants remain active, the official said.

The blast killed Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed al-Saidi and seriously wounded another man, a passer-by, the official said. A medical source also confirmed the report of one death.

On Friday, suspected jihadists launched spectacular dawn attacks on three police and army positions in Shabwa province, claiming the lives of at least 56 security personnel.

It was the deadliest day for the army since a suicide bombing in the capital Sanaa on May 21 last year in which some 100 soldiers were killed.