Senior al Qaeda Commander killed by Drone Strikes in Yemen, Residents Say

Residents are reporting that a top al Qaeda commander, who was in charge of the terrorist group's combat operations in Yemen, was killed overnight most likely by a U.S. drone strike.

According to the reports, via the Independent, the leader, Jalal Baleedi, was one of 12 militants who were killed in the southern region of the country. Baleedi, who had a $5 million bounty on his head, was in a car in the Abyan province when the drone strike occurred. A total of six people died in that attack. Reuters reported that Baleedi was killed along with two of his guards.

The other strike killed six militants who were traveling via car in the Ar Rawdah, Shabwa province.

Baleedi, who was also known as Hamza al-Zinjibari, was reportedly involved in the plans to target western diplomatic individuals in Sanaa two years ago. He had also led numerous other attacks, which included the beheading of soldiers. Baleedi was believed to be the leader of Ansar al-Sharia, an alias for the al Qaeda group in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

The U.S. State Department reportedly views AQAP as the deadliest branch of the al Aqaeda organization. The AQAP has been tied to numerous unsuccessful plans to bomb Americans.

Some sources have claimed that Baleedi might have recently left al Qaeda to become the branch leader for the Islamic State in Yemen. These reports have not been confirmed.