A mortar shell fired by Yemeni armed forces fighting with dozens of suspected al-Qaida gunmen killed six civilians and wounded two others in southeastern province of Shabwa, a tribal chief told Xinhua on Thursday.

"The armed forces fired several mortar shells against al-Qaida positions near al-Saeed region in Shabwa. One shell hit a civilian car by mistake, killing about six tribesmen and injuring two others," the local tribal chief said on condition of anonymity.

He further reported that the small pick-up truck carrying the tribesmen was completely destroyed, adding the remaining survivors were transported to a nearby health facility for treatment.

Local residents confirmed the incident saying that a military site operated by army troops in the region was behind the botched attack.

Yemen's civilians, especially in the south, often become caught in the crossfire of battles raging between the Yemeni army and rogue armed militias, leading to high civilian casualties in the region.

The situation for civilians is worsened by the U.S.-led drone strikes, which also drive up the civilian death toll and public outrage in the impoverished Arab country.

Earlier in April, a U.S. drone raid killed 16 al-Qaida suspects but also claimed the lives of five civilians in Yemen's southeastern province of al-Bayda, leading to protests against U.S. drone strikes in the capital Sanaa, while stoking southerners grievances against the government.

In the past few days, al-Qaida gunmen have launched several armed attacks against the country's armed forces in retaliation for Yemen's recent operations against suspected al-Qaida strongholds throughout the country.

The al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, has vowed to hit back in Yemen's main cities, including the capital Sanaa.

The AQAP, which emerged in January 2009, is considered the most strategic threat to the Yemeni government and neighboring oil-rich Saudi Arabia. Endi

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