Gunmen kidnap Yemeni security officer

A Yemeni security official was kidnapped in Hadramout by unknown gunmen on Thursday morning. A security source in Hadramout, Yemen said the unknown gunmen are suspected to be linked to al-Qaeda. According to the source, the Deputy Director of Security in Hadramout, Major Nimeiry Abdu al-Oudi, was taken from a mosque after he finished al-Fajir prayers. The four gunmen involved in the kidnapping waited outside the mosque in a car until he had left. Eyewitness reports revealed they then held a gun to his head, led him to the car and drove away. Investigations are underway to determine the identity of the gunmen and to locate and retrieve the Major. It has been reported that al-Qaeda members are known to be present in Hadramout and US drone planes have targeted several sites in the city this year.