San’a, Yemen – Gunmen in a car fired on a police checkpoint near the U.S. Embassy in Yemen’s capital on Monday, an Interior Ministry official said, hours after the embassy received threats of a possible attack.

Police returned fire at two gunmen in the car, which fled the scene, the official said. It was unclear if anyone was injured. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the press. He said three men in the area were detained.

An attack on the embassy in September involving gunmen and explosives-packed vehicles killed 17 people, including six militants. Al Qaeda later claimed responsibility for that attack.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman could not be reached for comment on Monday night’s shooting.

Earlier, a Yemeni security official said the U.S. Embassy received a telephone call and an e-mail early Monday saying the U.S. and Russian embassies would be targeted by Al Qaeda within a few hours.

The U.S. Embassy confirmed receiving a threat about a potential attack on its compound, and security measures were heightened in the capital, San’a. Attempts to contact the Russian Embassy were not successful.

(Source: Fox News)