Suicide bomber kills 12 in Yemen

A suicide bomber killed at least eight people in an attack on a police station Yemen, with some reports saying as many as thirteen died in the blast. The bomber drove a car of explosives into a military police base next to a barracks in the southern city of Mukalla, causing part of the building to collapse while officers were eating their lunch. As of late no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but military authorities told the Times of India they believe the suicide bomber was a member of al-Qaida and the attacks are reprisal for an army offensive against the terrorist organization that first began in late April. The attacks come hours after four people were killed when al-Qaida gunmen opened fire on a military checkpoint near the capital city Sanaa and days after a failed assassination attempt on Yemeni Defence Minister Mohamed Nasser Ahmad. With tensions escalating, the United States has closed its embassy in Sanaa on Thursday.