Yemen: Car bomb kills 25

February 25, 2012 at 11:30 a.m.

by The Associated Press

Yemen's newly elected President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi waves as he arrives to the Parliament in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. Hadi took the oath of office before the country's parliament Saturday. He replaces Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled the country for 33 years before leaving office in a power transfer deal aimed at ending more than a year of political turmoil.
Yemen's newly elected President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi waves as he arrives to the Parliament in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. Hadi took the oath of office before the country's parliament Saturday. He replaces Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled the country for 33 years before leaving office in a power transfer deal aimed at ending more than a year of political turmoil.

Sana#39;a, Yemen — A car bomb outside the gate of a presidential compound in southern Yemen killed at least 25 people hours after the country's new president was formally inaugurated and vowed to fight al-Qaida.

A security official said the attack in the city of Mukalla in Hadramout province was carried out by a suicide bomber, and that it bore the hallmarks of an al-Qaida operation. Both al-Qaida and southern separatists are active in the region.

A health official confirmed the death toll. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak to the press.

The blast came hours after Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was sworn in as president to replace longtime leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, following an election aimed at ending more than a year of political turmoil in Yemen. Hadi was the only candidate in the election.

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