Yemeni official assassinated by suspected al-Qaida gunmen
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Yemeni security officials say two gunmen assassinated a colonel in the southern province of Hadramout, the latest in a long series of attacks on the country's security forces.
Col. Abd al-Ghani al-Muqalih, the general manager of a military-affiliated corporation, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday by two men, whom security officials believe to be from al-Qaida. Militants have carried out a series of similar attacks and assassinations on military and government leaders in recent years.
Officials have previously said they believe they are targeted in retaliation for a military offensive which pushed al-Qaida militants out of their strongholds in southern Yemen.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to address the media, said that authorities are investigating the killing.