Yemen leader killed in US air strike: Al Qaeda

DUBAI: Al-Qaeda on Sunday confirmed the death of a senior figure in the jihadist network’s Yemen branch in a suspected US air strike last month, SITE Intelligence Group reported.

Security and local government sources told AFP on Wednesday Hamad bin Hamoud al-Tamimi had been killed, identifying him as a top leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which Washington regards as among the group´s most dangerous branches.

Tamimi, a Saudi also known as Abdel Aziz al-Adnani, died in a drone strike on February 26 that targeted his residence in war-torn Yemen´s northern Marib province, according to the statement reported by SITE, which monitors jihadist websites. The statement identified him as a “media official” who “previously managed external operations in the group, including those striking American interests”, SITE said.