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US Officials Say Embassy Was Target in Deadly Attack in Yemen


U.S. State Department officials have concluded a deadly mortar attack in Yemen Tuesday was targeting the U.S. embassy there.

The State Department issued a statement late Tuesday saying embassy officials in Yemen would not go into specifics since the attack is still under investigation.

Yemeni Interior Ministry officials and police say unknown assailants hurled at least two mortar bombs at a girl's school in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, Tuesday. The attack killed at least one local security guard and wounded several other people, including children.

The school is located next to the U.S. embassy in Yemen, but embassy officials said no one there was hurt in the attack. They said the embassy has since been closed.

There has been no claim of responsibility, but officials say preliminary investigations suggest Islamic militants could be to blame.

Earlier Tuesday, a State Department spokesman, Tom Casey in Washington condemned the attack.

Yemen joined the U.S.-led war against terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The country has witnessed a number of militant attacks targeting foreign tourists, oil installations and U.S. and French ships.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

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