US: Civilians feared dead in Yemen raid

The US military says it believes civilians were among the
casualties when US commandos raided an al-Qaeda stronghold in Yemen on Sunday.

US Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement that those killed could include children.

Yemeni sources had previously said that up to 16 civilians were killed in the operation in Bayda province.

Reports say they included the eight-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a militant killed by a US strike in 2011.

The raid was the first such operation authorised by new
 US President Donald Trump.

The US military had previously said a Navy Seal died and
 three others were injured in the raid in a village in Yakla district. Several Apache helicopters were reported to have taken part.

It said three al-Qaeda leaders were among 14 militants 
killed in a 45-minute gun battle, but did not comment on reports of civilian deaths.

On Wednesday, Centcom said civilians could have been hit 
by air strikes brought in to support the commandos.

"A team designated by the operational task force 
commander has concluded regrettably that civilian 
non-combatants were likely killed in the midst of a firefight during a raid in Yemen. Casualties may include children," a statement said.

"The known possible civilian casualties appear to have 
been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called
 in to assist US forces in contact against a determined
 enemy that included armed women firing from prepared fighting positions, and US special operations members receiving fire from all sides to include houses and other buildings," the statement read.

Al-Qaeda has taken advantage of the civil war in Yemen to
entrench its presence in the south and south-east.

For the past two years, the country has been embroiled
 in fighting between forces loyal to the internationally recognised president, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Shia Houthi rebels.