Security chief at US embassy in Yemen shot dead

A gunman has assassinated the Yemeni chief of security at the US Embassy in Sana'a, officials say.

Qassem Aqlani, who was in his 50s, was shot dead while on his way to work early today.

A gunman on a motorcycle opened fire at him and fled the scene.

Mr Aqlani had been working for the US Embassy in the Yemeni capital for nearly 20 years.

The attack comes as Yemen’s US-backed government is waging an offensive against al-Qaida’s branch in the country, taking back territory and cities in the south that the terror group seized last year.