Yemen: The Yemeni leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has been killed in a suspected US drone strike, CNN reported on Monday, quoting two Yemeni national security officials.

The leader, Nasser al-Wuhayshi, was once a close associate of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

CNN said Wuhayshi said the attack occurred on Friday in the Hadramout region.

The United States was looking into reports of his death, said a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity and declining to comment on any possible US involvement.

The US military was not involved in any strike, a second official said. It was unclear whether a strike may have been carried out by the CIA.