Drone attacks in southern Yemen killed at least 30 al-Qaida militants unexpectedly on Sunday , the latest in a series of air strikes intensified in the impoverished country , said a tribal chief .
The attack comes less than a week after the leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( AQAP ) Nasser al - Wuhayshi promised in a message on the video will fight " crusader " in the West anywhere , AFP reported .
Earlier it was reported that five people were killed and many others wounded in an attack Sunday, a meeting aimed at militants in the town of Al - Mahfad in Abyan province .
" More than 30 members of Al Qaeda were killed and many others wounded , " the chief said .
A statement on the defense ministry website 26sep.net said , attacks on " training camps " Al Qaeda killed " several " militants of various nationalities .
The U.S. is the only country that operates drones in Yemen , despite harsh criticism from human rights groups .
Yemeni President Abd - Rabbu Mansour Hadi last month defended the use of U.S. drones against Al-Qaeda in his country .
According to Hadi , the use of unmanned aircraft have limited the activities of Al Qaeda , although there was a regrettable mistake .
Al Qaeda militants strengthen their presence in southeastern Yemen , taking advantage of the weakening of the central government due to the anti - government uprising that erupted in January 2011 that eventually oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh .
Yemeni forces launched an offensive in May 2012 repulsed the militants of Al Qaeda from a number of towns and villages in southern and eastern region for more than a year to master.
Although weakened , the terror network could still launch attacks against military and police targets .
Yemen is the ancestral homeland of the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and is still facing separatist violence in the north and south .
North Yemen and South Yemen formally united to form the Republic of Yemen in 1990, but many in the south , home to most of Yemen's oil , saying that the north uses unification to seize natural resources and discriminate against them .
Western countries , especially the U.S. , are increasingly concerned over the threat of extremism in Yemen , including the activities of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( AQAP ) .
The U.S. wants the new president of Yemen , ruling after protests against the country's military predecessor making split into warring groups , uniting the armed forces and use them to fight against the militant group .
Militants launched a wave of attacks since former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in February 2012 handed over power to his deputy , Abd - Rabbu Mansour Hadi , who has promised to crack down on Al Qaeda .
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