Yemen Officials: U.S. Drone Strike Kills 13 Heading To Wedding Party

In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Capt. Richard Koll, left, and Airman 1st Class Mike Eulo perform function checks after launching an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle Aug. 7, 2007 at Balad Air Base, ... In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Capt. Richard Koll, left, and Airman 1st Class Mike Eulo perform function checks after launching an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle Aug. 7, 2007 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Captain Koll, the pilot, and Airman Eulo, the sensor operator, will handle the Predator in a radius of approximately 25 miles around the base before handing it off to personnel stationed in the United States to continue its mission. Scrambling to meet commanders' insatiable demands for unmanned aircraft, the Air Force is launched two new training programs Wednesday Oct. 22, 2008, including an experimental one that would churn out up to 1,100 desperately needed pilots to fly the drones over Iraq and Afghanistan. As many as 700 Air Force personnel have expressed some interest in the test program, which will create a new brand of pilot for the drones, which are flown by remote control from a base in Nevada. MORE LESS
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SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni officials say a U.S. drone strike has hit a convoy heading to wedding party, killing at least 13 people.

The officials say Thursday’s attack took place in the Yemeni city of Radda, the capital of Bayda province. The city is known as a stronghold of al-Qaida militants.

They said the convoy was heading to a wedding in the village of Qaifa when it was hit by the drone, and that the strike left charred bodies in the road and vehicles on fire.

One official said that al-Qaida militants are suspected to have been traveling with the wedding convoy.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The U.S. considers Yemen’s al-Qaida branch to be among the most active in the world.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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