A dozen of al-Qaeda suspects were killed two hours ago in south Yemen when US drones fired multiple strikes against two cars believed to have been carrying al-Qaeda suspects in Shabwa province, said a security officer in Shabwa .

The strikes came 24 hours after similar attacks killed four al-Qaeda suspects in neighboring Marib province. A security officer in Shabwa said that locals informed him that multiple of apparent drone strikes attacked two cars carrying al-Qaeda members in an area called Markha al-Sufla, some 250 kms away from the main central security headquarters. A local news site had reported the drone attack.

The locals said that the cars were likely loaded with ammunition that caused repeated explosion at the attack scene, said the officer, who refused to be identified.

The locals said that the drones are still hovering over the car wreck, giving no exact number of causalities as they couldn’t near the place.

The officer said that the suspects were believed to reinforce their comrades in neighboring Marib province, in which military has been shelling al-Qaeda hideouts after they downed a military helicopter last Tuesday afternoon, killing commander of a military brigade based there.