SANAA, Yemen — Yemeni security officials say a U.S. drone airstrike has killed two al-Qaida militants in a southern town.
They said one was a midlevel al-Qaida Yemeni operative who escaped a U.S. drone attack 10 years ago. The other was said to be a Jordanian.
The officials said Monday's airstrike on Radda in Bayda province also critically injured three militants.
The Yemeni militant, Abdel-Raouf Naseeb, escaped death in the first recorded drone attack in Yemen, on Nov. 3, 2002. That strike killed Abu Ali al-Harithi, suspected of masterminding the October 2000 attack against the USS Cole warship in a Yemen port.
A member of the Naseeb family confirmed his death to The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity fearing government reprisal.
The security officials also requested anonymity according to regulations.
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