(Previous Incident Code: YEM307)

At least five alleged AQAP militants were reportedly killed by a US drone strike that targeted a house in the Rawdah area, south of Marib city, early on March 22nd 2018.  There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Yemeni tribal leaders told Associated Press that seven had been killed in the strike. Several local language sources including Facebook page @tarebhtoday and Erem News, as well as Sputnik News, similarly reported that seven had died, and indicated that drones had remained in the area in the aftermath of the strike.

A provincial security official told Xinhua, however, that “at least five” had died in the attack, which allegedly targeted a farm.

All but two sources suggested those killed were AQAP members. @Shalal_Gaman and @JmtfWYvkyAY9XjA, instead claimed that they were ISIS-affiliated militants, though similarity in wording indicated that the latter source may have been a bot copying the former.

A list of recent US military strikes provided by CENTCOM to the Long War Journal made no mention of an action on this date. This does not however preclude a CIA strike.