Police in Yemen say a suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden vehicle killing at least 12 officers outside a police building in the country's south.

Several people were also injured in the blast, including police and civilians, Sunday in the coastal city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout Province.

Meanwhile in the capital, Sana'a, the Interior Ministry said three gunmen were killed after attempting an attack on a presidential guard checkpoint.

The two attacks appeared to be in reprisal for an army operation to drive al-Qaida out of the southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa.

The Interior Ministry has said the militants have sustained “huge losses” in a series of drone strikes targeting them.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has launched numerous attacks on military targets, tourists and diplomats in Yemen in recent years.

GRAFELBERGNOTICIAS