A booby-trapped car went off in a street in the Tawahi district of Aden where a military intelligence headquarters and a local state television building are located, killing at least four soldiers and injuring five others at the scene, the local police officer said on condition of anonymity.
The powerful blast rocked the military intelligence office and was followed by heavy gunfire from unknown attackers suspected of belonging to al-Qaida group, he said.
A local government official said that "It seems like a well- planned attack. The explosion hit the least-guarded rear gate of the military intelligence complex."
Medics at a nearby military hospital confirmed to Xinhua the death toll, saying that "most victims are soldiers... no civilians at all."
Local residents said unidentified attackers targeted the military intelligence base with three rocket-propelled grenades and fled later in pick-up trucks.
No one claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.
Saturday's bomb blast came just five days after local officials said security authorities foiled an attempt to blow up a car rigged with explosives in the port city of Aden.
Over the past few months, several army bases and police centers have been hit by gun and bomb attacks attributed to the Yemen- based al-Qaida wing, locally known as the Partisans of Sharia ( Islamic Law).
The al-Qaida militants have claimed responsibility for assassinating several army commanders and intelligence officers in the southern regions months after they were driven out of their bastions in cities of Abyan and Shabwa provinces in a U.S.-backed offensive.
from XINHUA
2012-08-18 17:55:37
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