SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Suspected al-Qaida militants launched surprise attacks on Friday on a checkpoint and a police patrol in Yemen, killing 17 troops, military and security officials said.

The first attack took place in the ancient city of Shibam in the restive province of Hadramawt, where attackers surprised the soldiers as they were having lunch and battled them for nearly half an hour before fleeing the scene, officials said. Fifteen troops were killed.