Al-Qaida Group Admits 'Mistake And Guilt' For Botched Raid
An al-Qaida affiliate has taken the rare step of apologizing to the families of some its victims who were killed in a botched attack in Yemen earlier this month.
The attack on the defense ministry in the capital Sana'a was meant to hit an area of the complex where al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) says U.S. drones are being controlled. But a hospital on the grounds was also hit in the December 5 attack and many of the 56 victims were doctors, nurses and patients.
The BBC reports that AQAP's military leader, Qasim al-Raymi, acknowledged "our mistake and guilt" and said one of the group's fighters had disobeyed orders and targeted the hospital.
The BBC says:
"There was widespread public outrage after state television broadcast CCTV pictures showing a gunman wandering the corridors and wards shooting unarmed people. At one point, he was filmed walking up to a group of patients, then calmly tossing a grenade into their midst."