Yemen officials: 8 soldiers killed in suicide car bombing

SANAA, Yemen – Yemeni security officials say a suicide car bomber has struck a security camp in a southern Yemeni city, killing eight soldiers.

The officials say the bomber, who was disguised as a driver carrying a load of fire wood for cooking, failed to get inside the camp after soldiers stopped him. So he blew himself up at the gates instead.

The explosion took place on Friday in the city of Jaar, a militant hotbed.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to brief reporters. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

Southern Yemen has seen a spate of suicide bombings by extremist groups as the weak, internationally recognized government has failed to restore security after forcing Houthi Shiite militias and allied forces out of the south in 2015.