Yemen president flees palace after jet attack

An air raid on the presidential palace in Yemen's southern city of Aden and intense fighting at the airport Thursday raised fears for President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled his residence.
     
Hadi was forced to evacuate the palace in the country's major southern city, presidency sources said, after it was attacked by a fighter jet.
      
The same sources claimed that the attack was repelled by anti-aircraft guns stationed near the palace, where Hadi was at the time, forcing the plane to retreat.
      
"President Hadi has been evacuated to a safe place but he has not left the country," the source told AFP as the plane made a second pass over the palace.
      
Security forces said the plane had opened fire but missed the palace, hitting a nearby hillside.
      
Hadi took refuge in Aden last month after fleeing house arrest under the Huthi militia that has taken control of the capital Sanaa.
      
The targeting of the palace came just hours after deadly clashes forced the closure of Aden's international airport.
      
At least six people were killed and 20 wounded after fierce fighting broke out between Hadi supporters and opponents, security sources said.
      
The clashes erupted between a special forces unit loyal to the Shiite Huthi militia, who since last year have seized large parts of central Yemen, and pro-Hadi paramilitary fighters, security sources said.
      
There was additional fighting across the city and further north, in Lahj province, which left another five dead.
      
The special forces fighting at the airport were led by renegade General Abdel Hafez al-Saqqaf and met heavy resistance from fighters with the Popular Committees, a local paramilitary...