Yemen: U.S. drone strikes kill 6. Militants blow up gas line in retaliation

U.S. drone strikes killed five "suspects" and one civilian in Yemen. A first attack targeted a vehicle reported to contain people connected to Al Qaeda. However an innocent bystander was also killed as well as five others wounded. A second attack destroyed a building that was empty.

As far as Yemen is concerned drone attacks seem to be increasing rather than being scaled back as claimed by some. There was another attack in Pakistan as well.

After the strikes attackers blew up a liquid natural gas pipeline in the same general area. This has forced a halt to all production at a plant mainly run by Total SA of France.

. The militant faction Ansar al_Sharia that controls Abyan province nearby claimed credit for the attack. The text message said in part that the attack was “retaliation for the strike for which Crusader America and its obedient slave in Sanaa are responsible.” The change in government in which Saleh stepped down while his vice president Major Hadi took over and eventually became president has been applauded by the U.S. and the GCC. The new government has cooperated with the U.S. in allowing drone and other strikes. Some special forces are also operating in Yemen. For more see this article