US raid kills 7 al-Qaida militants in Yemen

WASHINGTON – The Defence Department says U.S. forces have killed seven members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula during a raid in Yemen early Tuesday.

U.S. Central Command says the forces used “a combination of small arms fire and precision airstrikes” to attack the compound in Marib Governorate in central Yemen.

It says, “Raids such as this provide insight into AQAP’s disposition, capabilities and intentions, which will allow us to continue to pursue, disrupt and degrade” the group.

The Defence statement adds that the operation was conducted with the support of Yemen’s government.