Gunmen kill U.S. teacher in Yemen

Last Updated 10:25 p.m. ET

(CBS/AP) SANAA, Yemen - Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot dead an American teacher working at a language institute in the central Yemeni city of Taiz early on Sunday, the region's provincial governor said.

Hamoud al-Sufi said the teacher was shot in his car. He didn't have details on who the killers might be, and said an investigation was ongoing.

The institute where he worked identified the victim as 29-year-old Joel Shrum.

According to CBS Affiliate WHP, Shrum's father, who lives in Harrisburg, Pa., was notified by a phone call from the school where his son worked.

Much of Yemen saw a collapse of central state authority during the year-long uprising against long-time leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, who stepped down as president last month.

Militants affiliated with al Qaeda took advantage of the chaos to seize control of towns in the south of the country.

Yemeni security officials said tribesmen kidnapped a Swiss woman working as a researcher in the western city of Hodeida on Tuesday.

Such kidnappings were common even before last year's uprising, with the hostages used as bargaining chips to secure the release of Yemeni prisoners or to get cash and services. Usually in such cases the hostages are released unharmed.

Tribesmen in the area denied the officials' account and said she was taken by militants.

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