A mortar shell fired by Yemeni armed forces fighting with dozens of suspected Al Qaeda gunmen killed six civilians and wounded two in Shabwa province, Xinhua quoted a tribal chief as saying Thursday.
"The armed forces fired several mortar shells against Al Qaeda positions near al-Saeed region in Shabwa. One shell hit a civilian car by mistake, killing about six tribesmen and injuring two," Xinhua quoted the tribal chief as saying.
Local residents confirmed the incident saying that a military site operated by army troops in the region was behind the botched attack.
The Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, has vowed to hit back in Yemen's main cities, including the capital Sanaa.
The AQAP, which emerged in January 2009, is considered the most strategic threat to the Yemeni government and neighbouring oil-rich Saudi Arabia.