SANAA, Yemen (AP) -- Yemeni military officials say two U.S. airstrikes have killed at least 18 al-Qaida-linked militants in an attack on a central province that had been partly overrun by the group earlier this year.
The U.S. Central Command is not commenting on any American role in the strikes.
But the U.S. considers the Yemen branch of al-Qaida one of the most dangerous.
U.S. aircraft have targeted leaders of the branch in Yemen in the past, including a drone strike last year that killed American-born al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki (ahn-WAHR' al-aw-LAH'-kee).
Residents in the area and a medical official said 18 militants had been killed and al-Qaida quickly buried the bodies.
However, the provincial governor says the death toll was 30, including Egyptian, Syrian, Pakistani and Afghan nationals.
Yemeni officials say their military does not have the capacity to carry out nighttime air strikes and had no orders to do so.