Suicide blasts kill 11 tribesmen in southern Yemen

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni tribal and security officials say suicide bombers have killed 11 anti-al-Qaeda tribesmen in the country’s south.

The officials say Sunday’s attacks took place in Abyan province, where al-Qaeda-linked militants have been taking advantage of Yemen’s political turmoil to capture and control territory in the south.

The officials say in the first attack a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into a checkpoint manned by anti-al-Qaeda tribesmen, killing eight and wounding 20.

They say a suicide bomber carried out the second attack, blowing himself up in the middle of a gathering of tribesmen. Three men were killed in the second attack.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.