Qaida Leader Killing Sparks Deadly Clashes in Yemen

Seventeen Yemeni tribesmen were killed Thursday in clashes that followed the assassination of a local al-Qaida leader by his half-brother in his stronghold southeast of Sanaa, tribal chiefs said.

The clashes erupted after Tarek al-Dahab was shot dead by his half-brother Hizam in the town of al-Masaneh, a family fiefdom in Bayda province, several tribal chiefs said, confirming that the killer and his brother were among the 17 killed in the gunfights.

"Al-Qaida gunmen fired rockets at the house of Hizam killing him and his brother Majid, as well as their nephew Ahmed," one source said.

Eleven armed tribesmen were killed when the vehicle transporting them was also targeted, the sources said.

A tribal chief said that Hizam was "pushed by authorities" to kill Dahab who had in January taken over control of the town of Radah, about 130 kilometers southeast of Sanaa, and 30 kilometers from al-Masaneh.

Dahab and his gunmen withdrew from Radah after holding it for nine days, bowing to tribal pressure.