Al-Qaida chief ‘in house hit by drone strike’

Al-Qaida’s second in command in Pakistan was in a house hit by a US drone strike, according to intelligence officials, but they do not know whether he was killed.

US officials said they were targeting Abu Yahya al-Libi in Monday’s strike in the North Waziristan tribal area and were “optimistic” he was killed.

Pakistani intelligence officials said militants and local residents reported al-Libi was in the house.

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A local Taliban chief said al-Libi’s guard and driver were killed, but the al-Qaida commander was not there.

Meanwhile, at least 23 al-Qaida militants have been killed in fierce clashes in south Yemen, officials said yesterday.

The Defence Ministry said fighting between government troops, backed by heavy artillery, and the militants intensified in the northern part of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan.

The ministry said Pakistani and Somali nationals were among the dead militants.

Military officials said clashes also erupted in the town of Jaar, another al-Qaida stronghold.

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