Yemeni air defense units have intercepted and shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as it was flying in the skies over the country’s northwestern province of Sa'ada.

Two more US MQ-9 Reaper drones were downed by the Yemeni military in the past 72 hours, taking the total number of drones downed for spying in the past year to 9.

Yemeni air defense units intercept and shoot down a US MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the country’s central province of Bayda.

The US Air Force claims one of its drones was damaged by flares from a Russian fighter jet over Syria.

North Korea has accused the US military of conducting provocative surveillance flights which violate its airspace and trespass in its exclusive economic zone.

The UAV was flying towards the Russian border without an active transponder, in clear violation of international norms, stressing that the drone went down after stalling and never came into contact with another aircraft.

Russia’s defense ministry says the service members prevented the UAV from violating a restricted flight area.