US 'involved in Yemen airstrikes'

Amnesty International said today it has evidence that points to US involvement in air strikes on suspected al-Qaida hideouts in Yemen late last year, and criticised Washington for allegedly using cluster munitions and not taking precautions to avoid civilian casualties.

There are differing accounts of the December 17 attack in the al-Majalah area of the southern Yemeni province of Abyan. Yemeni security officials originally said 34 al Qaida militants were killed, although a Yemeni parliamentary committee later said 41 civilians were killed in the attack as well.