Drone strikes kill nine ‘al-Qaeda militants’ in Yemen

Drone strikes killed nine suspected al-Qaeda militants Saturday in southeast Yemen, where the U.S. military launched a failed operation last month to rescue an American hostage, security and tribal sources said.

"Several drone strikes have targeted al-Qaeda positions in Nusab (in Shabwa province), killing nine members of the network," a security source told AFP.

A tribal leader said soldiers of an unknown nationality were seen parachuting into the area and clashes ensued, suggesting it could be a new operation to try to free the U.S. hostage.

It was not immediately possible to verify that information.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) on Thursday threatened the imminent execution of U.S. journalist Luke Somers who was kidnapped more than a year ago in Sanaa.

The United States has said that American and Yemeni forces recently tried unsuccessfully to rescue Somers.

According to Yemen's defense ministry, al-Qaeda moved hostages, including the U.S. journalist, a Briton and a South African, days before last month's U.S.-Yemeni raid in southeastern Hadramawt province.

Yemen is a key U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaeda, allowing Washington to conduct a longstanding drone war against the group on its territory.

AQAP is considered by Washington as the most dangerous affiliate of Al-Qaeda.