Suicide bomber kills 45 in Yemen.

2012-08-06 180

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A suicide bomber struck at a wake in Yemen's southern city of Jaar overnight on Saturday (August 4), killing at least 45 people and wounding dozens more.

The defense ministry said it's the deadliest attack since the army declared victory over Islamist militants in June.

It appeared to target a group of tribal fighters in revenge for their alliance with the Yemeni army during an offensive against militants in the southern province of Abyan.

The attack highlighted the enduring threat of Islamist militancy in Yemen and may alarm the United States and Saudi Arabia, which increasingly view the impoverished state as a frontline in their war on al Qaeda and its affiliates.

Local official said charred bodies were strewn around the site of the blast, which wounded Abdul Latif Al Sayed, the leader of tribal fighting units known as Popular Committees, who has survived previous assassination attempts.

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