Southern Yemen's main city of Aden.

On Tuesday, a suicide bomber and other armed men tried to storm police headquarters here.

State media reports seven policemen were wounded.

Security officials say the men tried to force their way into the compound in several cars.

The suicide bomber blew himself up in one of the vehicles packed with explosives.

The attackers exchanged gunfire with police who stopped them from entering.

Security sources tell Reuters police averted a separate suicide bombing attempt on the same building.

They say they've arrested two people in that incident who admitted links to al Qaeda.

Hundreds of security personnel in Southern Yemen have died in explosions and shootings over just the past two years.

The government is fighting Islamist militants allied with al Qaeda.

But the country also faces a separatist movement in the south and sectarian fighting in the north.