Car bomb hits Yemeni minister's motorcade, 13 killedSeptember 11, 2012 - 16:47 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A car bomb struck the Yemeni defense minister's motorcade as he was driving through the nation's capital Tuesday, Sept 11, killing at least 13 people but leaving the minister unharmed, The Associated Press reported citing security officials. The minister, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahmed, has been the target of several failed assassination attempts in the past. The blast hit the minister's convoy as it was traveling through Sanaa on the way to a Cabinet meeting. Eight of the minister's security guards were among the 13 people killed, the security officials said. The other five dead were civilian bystanders. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack, but it bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida and came a day after Yemeni authorities announced the death of the No. 2 leader of the network's Yemeni branch in an apparent U.S. airstrike. Al-Qaida's Yemeni franchise is seen as the world's most active, planning and carrying out attacks against targets in Yemen as well as in the U.S. The group took advantage of the political vacuum during unrest inspired by the Arab Spring last year to seize control of large swaths of land in southern Yemen. But the Yemeni military has launched a broad U.S.-backed offensive and driven the movement from several towns. The death of al-Qaida in Yemen's No. 2 leader amounted to a major breakthrough for U.S. efforts to cripple the group in Yemen, which is considered a crucial battleground with the terror network. The impoverished nation on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula is on the doorstep of Saudi Arabia and fellow oil-producing nations of the Gulf and lies on strategic sea routes leading to the Suez Canal. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |