Gunmen in Yemen killed 20 soldiers and wounded six on Monday when they attacked a checkpoint in Hadramawt province in the southeast, military sources said, with one blaming Al-Qaeda.

"Armed men aboard several vehicles attacked a checkpoint near Reida," 135 kilometres (85 miles) east of Hadramawt provincial capital Mukalla. 

Another said the attack appeared to be the work of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is active in south and southeast Yemen.