Suicide car bomb kills four in Yemen

June 4 2012

By SAPA

A suicide bomber blew up an explosives-laden car at a checkpoint in Yemen's restive southern province of Abyan on Monday, killing four pro-army gunmen, a member of a pro-army militia said.

The military, meanwhile, reported that six jihadists died in clashes with troops, elsewhere in Abyan.

 “Four of our men were killed when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives at a checkpoint between Loder and Shaqra” in Abyan, a member of the Popular Resistance Committees fighting alongside the army said.

The militiamen from the Popular Resistance Committees are mainly armed local residents fighting alongside the Yemeni army against Al-Qaeda-linked militants.

The source, who declined to be named, told AFP that militiamen foiled a similar attempt by another suicide attacker who passed by a checkpoint held by the gunmen.

The bomber blew himself up after militiamen pointed their guns at him to shoot him. He was killed alone, according to the same source.

Meanwhile south of Abyan's capital Zinjibar, clashes between Al-Qaeda militants and the army left six jihadists dead and five wounded, a military official said. A soldier was also wounded in the fighting.

Yemeni forces launched an all-out offensive on May 12 aimed at reclaiming Zinjibar and other towns and cities in the province lost to Al-Qaeda over the past year.

Since the assault began, at least 397 people have been killed, according to an AFP tally compiled from official statements, including 291 Al-Qaeda fighters, 66 military personnel, 22 local militiamen and 18 civilians. - Sapa-AFP