国际英语新闻：Yemen rejects U.S. role in fighting al-Qaida

SANAA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni government reaffirmed on Thursday that combating terrorism in the country remains the responsibility of its security services alone, responding to the report that the United States may step up air raids on the regional al-Qaida wing in Yemen, the state media reported.

The response came following the Washington Post's report that U.S. officials said al-Qaida in Yemen was the most urgent threat in the region and vowed to step up attacks on the group, according to the official Saba news agency.

"Yemeni forces, with the support of our friends and brothers, are capable of holding their full responsibilities for eliminating al-Qaida elements and its backers," Saba quoted the government spokesman as saying.

The government also denied some reports by western media that exaggerated the scale of al-Qaida and its threats on the stability, security and foreign interests in Yemen, Saba said.

Last week, a Yemeni Foreign Ministry spokesman said a report that the U.S. military was behind a secret air raid against alleged al-Qaida target in Yemen would embarrass Yemeni government efforts of denying any U.S. involvement in such processes.

The New York Times reported on Aug. 14 that the U.S. military conducted on May 24 a secret air raid on alleged al-Qaida group in Marib, northeast of the capital Sanaa, killing deputy provincial governor of Marib Jabir Ali al-Shabwany.