ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni defense minister Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahemd survived an assassination attempt on Tuesday afternoon when an al-Qaida booby-trapped car exploded, targeting his convoy in the southern port city of Aden, a security official said.
The local official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Xinhua that an al-Qaida laden-explosive vehicle exploded while the convoy was passing through an underground tunnel linking the al-Qalwah district and the Golden Coast.
The minister's convoy was heading toward the Sheraton Hotel, he said, adding that no casualties were reported.
The suicide car bomber was killed in the explosion, according to an officer of the Criminal Police, who was investigating the incident. The officer also said that the explosion bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida militants.
A local resident of the Golden Coast told Xinhua that he noticed one of the military vehicles carrying soldiers was covered with blood.
"Ambulances cars rushed immediately to th scene following the explosion," he added.
Heavy armored vehicles were deployed after the explosion setting up several military checkpoints across the city.
The Yemeni defense minister survived several botched assassination attempts earlier this year, the latest was during his inspection visit to the army forces in the neighboring Abyan province fighting militants of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who overrun several cities there.
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