Officials: Militants ambush security post in Yemen; 8 killed

By AHMED AL-HAJ
Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni officials say suspected al-Qaida militants have attacked a security post in a southern province, sparking clashes that left five troops and three militants dead. The early morning Wednesday attack took place in Ataq, the capital of the mountainous province of Shabwa, the officials said. At least four other troops were wounded in the attack, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press. No group claimed responsibly for the ambush, which targeted a post manned by troops loyal to the secessionist Southern Transitional Council, they said. The separatist council is backed by the United Arab Emirates and controls much of Yemen’s south. It is at odds with the internationally recognized government.