Yemen violence: PM Basindwa unhurt in assassination bid Published duration 31 August 2013

image copyright Reuters image caption Mr Basindwa, 78, has been in office since late 2011

Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa has survived an assassination attempt unharmed, officials in the capital Sanaa say.

Gunmen in a vehicle opened fire on the PM's motorcade as he returned home from his office, one of his advisers said.

It is the first time Mr Basindwa has come under attack, the AFP news agency says, although other members of his cabinet have previously been targeted.

The government is battling militants of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

A senior intelligence officer was killed by suspected militants in southern Labous province late on Friday.

Mr Basindwa was a senior opposition figure before being appointed in November 2011 to head the government set up after veteran leader President Ali Abdullah Saleh left power.

One of his aides, Ali al-Sarari, told Reuters news agency security forces were trying to track down the vehicle used in the attack.