ADEN, Yemen, June 21 (Xinhua) -- An explosion caused by a roadside bomb struck a military vehicle in Yemen's southeastern province of Hadramout on Friday, a security official told Xinhua.
"An improvised explosive device exploded and targeted a military vehicle near a restaurant in Qatan district of Hadramout, leaving five soldiers killed and four others injured," the security source based in the government-controlled province said on condition of anonymity.
The security source confirmed that the device was placed recently by unknown gunmen suspected of belonging to the terrorist al-Qaida group.
A medical source from the Hadramout's public hospital told Xinhua that four soldiers with different injuries were admitted to the hospital for treatment following the explosion.
In recent days, terrorist operations targeting the army and security forces in Hadramout have increased dramatically. Two soldiers were killed by unidentified gunmen in Qatan district within the past 48 hours.
The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network, mostly operating in eastern and southern provinces, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces in the country.
Provinces of Abyan and Shabwa, former main strongholds of AQAP, have also witnessed sporadic attacks or heavy clashes between newly-recruited security forces and al-Qaida militants.
The AQAP, seen by the United States as the global terror network's most dangerous branch, has exploited years of deadly conflict between Yemen's government and Houthi rebels to expand its presence, especially in southeastern provinces.
