Sana'a - An al-Qaeda arm in Yemen claimed responsibility Tuesday for the mortar attack against a residential compound housing Americans in Sana'a two days ago. The group, known as "Yemen Soldiers Brigade," said in a statement posted on an Islamic web site that the attack was carried out "to avenge our bother Mulla Dadallah."
Mulla Dadallah, an Afghan Taliban leader, was killed in a US air strike in the southern Afghan region of Helmand in May 2007.
"A group of the Khaled Ibn al-Walid brigade attacked late on Sunday April 6, 2008 a housing compound for foreign nationals and Americans in Haddah of Sana'a province with three mortar shells," said the statement.
The statement, whose authenticity could not be verified, was posted on the al-Ekhlaas web site that regularly disseminates al- Qaeda statements.
On Monday, a government official said security authorities obtained a statement issued by al-Qaeda in Yemen claiming responsibility for the attack.
There were no casualties when the compound was hit by three mortar shells late Sunday, police said. They said the attackers managed to escape.
The high-security residential complex in the Haddah neighbourhood houses US diplomats and other Westerners working for foreign oil companies in Yemen.
The group also claimed in its statement, titled "Statement No. 4", the responsibility for two attacks on military checkpoints in the eastern Yemeni province of Hadhramout on April 4.
Police have said that one soldier was killed and seven others injured after assailants fired rocket-propelled grenades at two military checkpoints in Hadhramout on Friday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the US embassy in Yemen asked its non- essential staff and family members to leave Yemen.
In a "warden message" posted on its website, the embassy said the US Department of State had ordered the departure of non-emergency diplomatic staff from Yemen.
"The Department of State has ordered the departure of non- emergency embassy staff and family members from Yemen," the note said.
It said the ordered departure was prompted by the attack on the embassy on March 18 and the April 6 attack on the Sana'a residential compound.
"Embassy employees are not authorized to travel outside of Sana'a and have been advised to avoid hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas," the embassy's note said.
The embassy advised its employees to "strictly limit their exposure in public places until further notice."
It also called on US citizens in Yemen to "exercise caution and take prudent security measures, including maintaining a high level of vigilance."
A police officer said attack was similar to the mortar attack against the US embassy in Sana'a on March 18, when four mortar shells were fired at the embassy compound, but missed their target and struck a girls' school adjacent to the embassy.
An embassy guard was killed in the March attack, while three embassy guards and 13 female students were wounded. Official media said later that the terrorist network al-Qaeda was behind the embassy attack.
