2008 American Embassy attack in Yemen

2008 Yemeni American embassy attack
Map of Yemen showing Sana'a
Location	Sana'a
Date	September 17, 2008 9:15 a.m. (UTC+3)
Target	American Embassy
Attack type	Car bomb, rocket attack, ambush
Deaths	12 (Plus 6 attackers)
Non-fatal injuries	At least 16
Perpetrators	Islamic Jihad of Yemen, al-Qaeda
Motive	Terrorism, to provoke the release of imprisoned extremist members

Islamic Jihad of Yemen,

The 2008 American Embassy attack in Yemen in Sana'a, Yemen on September 17, 2008, resulted in 18 deaths and 16 injuries. Six attackers, six Yemeni police, and six civilians were killed. This attack was the second occurring in the same year, after a mortar attack earlier in 2008 on March 18 missed the embassy and instead hit a nearby girls' school.Islamic Jihad of Yemen, an al Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack began at 09:15 a.m. local time (06:15 a.m. UTC) when attackers dressed as policemen, armed with rocket-propelled grenades, automatic rifles, grenades, and car bombs, attacked the outer security ring at the entrance of the main gate from a car. The embassy, located in the Dhahr Himyar district of Sana'a, is located 250 meters (820 feet) from this security entrance. A 20-minute battle ensued between the terrorists and the embassy security force, during which some embassy security forces were fired upon by snipers from across the road. In the midst of the battle, a car bomb exploded at a second security ring of concrete blocks in an unsuccessful attempt to blow a hole in the wall. Up to five explosions may have occurred during the attack.

Six members of the Yemeni security forces, six attackers (one of whom wore an explosives belt), and six civilians were killed in the attack. Though no Americans working at the embassy were injured or harmed during the attack, Susan el-Baneh, a newly married woman from New York City, was killed along with her Yemeni husband while waiting outside to fill out paperwork. At least sixteen people, mostly women and children, were treated at two hospitals for injuries.