A Yemeni security official said Tuesday suspected al-Qaeda militants have assassinated the deputy governor of a southern province, Al Arabiya reported.
The official says attackers opened fire at Hussein Dayan as he was leaving his home on Tuesday, heading to work in the province of al-Bayda, a militant stronghold.
The official says Dayan was killed instantly and the militants fled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Yemen's branch of al-Qaeda, also known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, is considered to be the most dangerous in the world. It overran much of the south in 2011. Yemen's army, supported by U.S. military experts, pushed them back, but clashes continue.
The Interior Ministry says attacks, mostly by al-Qaeda militants, killed 41 Yemeni troops in the first three months of 2014.