Militants claim attack on US embassy

An al-Qaeda-linked group has claimed responsibility for a rocket attack against the United States’ embassy in the Yemeni capital Sana’a.

Several hours after the Saturday attack, Ansar al-Sharia claimed responsibility for it on social networks, saying it was in response to a US terror drone strike on Friday.

“Ansar al-Sharia have targeted the US embassy in Sana’a with a (shoulder-launched) LAW rocket,” the group said.

The group also said several were injured and a vehicle was damaged in the attack which incorporated a M72 light anti-tank weapon, according to police.

The attack, which was carried out by a group of armed militants, wounded at least two guards outside the embassy, police said.

The guards were members of the Yemeni special police forces who were tasked with protecting the heavily fortified embassy.

The rocket reportedly landed some 200 meters away from the site.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Sana’a said it had “no reason to believe” it was the target of the attack.

Report said on Friday that a US assassination drone killed at least two and wounded two others in the northern province of al-Jawf.

This is the first time the embassy has come under attack.

In one similar incident back in 2008, 18 people were killed and 16 were injured.

In an unprecedented move in August 2013, the US closed several of its embassies on three continents after intercepted communications pointed to a possible al-Qaeda terrorist plot.

NT/GJH