CAIRO, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) on Wednesday condemned the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Yemeni capital of Sanaa earlier Wednesday morning which killed 16 people.

    AL Secretary General Amr Moussa said during a press conference that he was sad at the abhorrent attack, and he gave his heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims.

    "We condemn the bloody attack which killed and injured innocent people, and the blood will not lead to any positive result," the AL chief said.

    Earlier on Wednesday, an attack outside U.S. embassy in Yemen resulted in the killing of six assailants, six soldiers and four civilians.

    A radical group calling itself the Islamic Jihad in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, although the authenticity of the claim could not be immediately verified.

    The embassy building has been unscathed and none of the embassy workers injured. The security apparatus is now carrying out investigations into the criminal assault.

    Militants have carried out a string of attacks in Yemen in recent years.