Defense Minister Escapes Car Bombing in Yemen

At least 13 people are dead after a car bombing in Yemen's capital today that was targeting the country's defense minister, according to security officials. Maj. Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahmed's motorcade was hit while he was traveling through Sanaa en route to a Cabinet meeting, but the minister was not harmed. Eight of his guards were killed, in addition to five civilians, the AP reports. Ahmed has been the target of frequent assassination attempts.

Al-Jazeera notes that the attack comes a day after Yemen confirmed the death of the No. 2 leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. A local newspaper editor tells al-Jazeera the defense minister could have been targeted because he has been "leading the war against al-Qaeda" in the country. Two other explosions were reported in Sanaa around the same time, al-Jazeera reports. (More Mohammed Nasser Ahmed stories.)