SANAA, Yemen (AP) Suspected al-Qaida gunmen dressed in fatigues and riding in military trucks overran a key army base in eastern Yemen on Monday, security officials said, holding captive high-ranking officers and soldiers inside in the latest bold attack by militants there.
Security officials said the base in the large but sparsely populated province of Hadramawt is supposed to be protected by several checkpoints leading to its main gate, but that no security was posted outside the military compound when the attack took place.
The military sent in reinforcements and troops are now surrounding the compound, intermittently clashing with the attackers, the officials and a Defense Ministry statement said.
The Ministry said it has managed to evacuate the building but other security officials say there are still an unknown number of officers and soldiers inside.
The attack underscores al-Qaida's ability to exploit security lapses in Yemen, despite a dramatic rise in the number of U.S. drone strikes on militants there including in Hadramawt since President Barack Obama took office.