An al Qaeda-linked group has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack on Yemen’s defense ministry that left at least 52 dead and 167 others injured.
Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law) following a Twitter said early Friday, “As part of the policy of targeting the operation rooms of pilotless planes, the mujahideen (holy fighters) have heavily struck one of these rooms in the Ministry of Defence headquarters.”
The group in a separate Twitter message said, “Such joint military locations which participate with the Americans in their war against this Muslim nation are a legitimate target for our operations.”
The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber and gunmen wearing army uniforms, Reuters repoted. A number of foreign medics, including German, Vietnamese, Indian, Filipino nationals were also among those killed in the attack.
The U.S. military raised its alert status in the region after the coordinated strikes on Yemen, which is also home to what Washington has called the most active arm of al Qaeda.
It was the deadliest attack in Sanaa since May 2012. Over 90 people rehearsing for a military parade in the capital were killed in July last year by a suicide bomber wearing a Yemeni army uniform.
