By The Associated Press

Published: Sunday, December 30, 2012, 9:22 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

SANAA, Yemen — Al-Qaida's branch in Yemen has offered to pay tens of thousands of dollars to anyone who kills the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa or an American soldier in the country.

An audio produced by the group's media arm, the al-Malahem Foundation, and posted on terrorist websites Saturday said it offered three kilograms of gold worth $160,000 for killing the ambassador, Gerald Feierstein.

The group said it will pay 5 million Yemeni riyals ($23,000) to anyone who kills an American soldier inside Yemen. It said the offer is valid for six months.

Washington considers al-Qaida in Yemen to be the group's most dangerous branch.

The group overran entire towns and villages last year by taking advantage of a security lapse during nationwide protests that eventually ousted the country's longtime ruler.

Backed by the U.S. military experts based at a southern air base, Yemen's army was able to regain control of the southern region, but al-Qaida terrorists continue to launch deadly attacks on security forces, which have killed hundreds.

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