8 killed in suicide bombing near Yemen presidential palace

The dead included soldiers and civilians and at least 12 others were wounded.

Update: 2016-01-28 14:45 GMT
The Presidential Palace in Aden (Photo: AFP)

Aden: A suicide car bombing killed at least eight people at a checkpoint outside Yemen's presidential palace in the southern city of Aden on Thursday, security and medical officials said.

The dead included soldiers and civilians and at least 12 others were wounded, a medical source said.

Islamic State in a statement claimed responsibility for the attack outside the residence of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

In a statement online, the militant group said the attack was carried out by a suicide car bomber it identified as Abu Hanifa al-Hollandi, suggesting the attacker was Dutch.

The group said the attack had killed about 10 members of palace security and wounded about 20.

It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim or the identity of the attacker.
 

A security source said the attack appeared to target the convoy of a local businessman who was entering the presidential complex.

Sources had initially said the convoy was carrying Aden's governor, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, but he later told AFP he was not in the area at the time of the attack.

Witnesses said the blast had damaged at least six vehicles and a nearby mosque.

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