A reconnaissance drone, presumed to be American, has crashed in Yemen where Washington has waged a sustained drone war against Al-Qaeda, a local tribal leader said.
The unmanned aircraft crashed in the Wadi Abida district of the central province of Marib, a major battleground between Iran-backed rebels and loyalists of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, and the rebels said they shot it down.
"The aircraft was not armed with missiles," tribal leader Moajeb al-Maribi said, without elaborating on what brought it down.
Washington operates armed as well as reconnaissance drones over Yemen for its campaign against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which it regards as the jihadist network's most dangerous branch.
The rebel-controlled Saba news agency said the drone had been shot down by the rebels and their allies -- renegade troops still loyal to Hadi's ousted predecessor Ali Abdullah Saleh.
"The heroes of the army and the popular committees shot down a hostile drone in Wadi Abida district on Monday evening," it said.
Loyalist forces and allied troops from a Saudi-led coalition control the city of Marib but the surrounding province has seen protracted fighting with the rebels and their allies.
Al-Qaeda also has a longstanding presence in the province.
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