Known drone and air strikes in yemen targeting alqaeda. Al qaeda now runs its own ministate, flush with funds from raiding the local central bank and levying taxes at the local port. Us pounds al qaeda in yemen, but barely dents risk of. The real winner in yemens civil war could be alqaeda. The yemeni alqaeda crackdown began in 2001 and escalated on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war 8 9 on al qaeda. Al qaeda crackdown fuelled yemen unrest channel 4 news. Al qaeda did checkpoint attack, yemen official says 2 min read sanaa reuters al qaeda militants, not separatists, attacked a checkpoint and killed three soldiers on. Yemen, the united states, and alqaeda institute for policy studies. Yemen is the base of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap which has recently suffered a series of setbacks after the military launched. Sep 23, 2015 during the 1990s, yemen became a central location for militant salafist groups such as aqaps predecessors, including islamic jihad in yemen, army aden abyan and alqaeda in yemen aqy. At al jazeera english, we focus on people and events that affect peoples lives.
The yemeni government, at the time fighting a sectarian rebellion in the countrys north, did not act against the growing al qaeda threat. The government in yemen has launched a crackdown against the aqap, which attacks military targets, tourists and diplomats in the country. Al qaeda in yemen aqy was a militant islamist group based in yemen and the yemeni branch of the al qaeda aq franchise from 2000 until 2009 when it merged with its saudi counterpart to create al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap. The longer it takes to find a negotiated peace deal in yemen, the more al qaeda will be able to expand its influence. The scene of a suicide bombing this year in southern yemen, where a branch of al. Us pounds al qaeda in yemen, but barely dents risk of attack. The alqaeda insurgency in yemen was an armed conflict between the yemeni government, united states, and alqaeda affiliated cells in yemen. Stay on top of yemen s latest developments on the ground with al jazeeras factbased news, exclusive video footage, photos and updated maps. Apr 08, 2016 one unintended consequence of the war in yemen.
Also known as al qaeda in the arabian peninsula or aqap, al qaeda is primarily active in yemen. The sudden spread of al qaeda in south yemen was seen by many yemenis as a ruse. The security sources said that the leaders of al qaeda in yemen, murad abdullah mohammed al doubli, nicknamed abu hamza al batani and hassan baasrei were killed after a raid by security forces in the al qaeda stronghold. On the 17th anniversary of 911, alqaeda lives on quartz. Sep 11, 2018 then, in 2009, al qaeda designated its branch in yemen and saudi arabia as al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. Giorgio cafiero is the founder of gulf state analytics. May 29, 2012 watch fulllength episodes of pbs documentary series frontline for free. The syriabased terror group isis is active and recruiting inside the middle eastern state of yemen, already a hotbed of terrorist activity, cnn has learned. A look at alqaidas most lethal branch, yemens aqap. Jan 11, 2018 houthi rebels were largely defeated in the city of taiz in southwestern yemen more than a year ago. Far from the battlefields of iraq and afghanistan, the united states and al qaeda are fighting a clandestine war of drones and suicide bombers in an unforgiving corner of arabia.
Almost certainly the conflict would be a magnet for yemens alqaeda branch, which has forged alliances against the huthis with local fighters in other parts of the country. Al qaeda in the meantime, yemen had become a major base for islamic militants after the crackdown on al qaeda closed their training bases in afghanistan and pakistan. Saudi arabia and alqaeda unite in yemen foreign policy journal. Qasim al raymi, the leader of the al qaeda branch in yemen, is believed to have been killed in a cia airstrike, pompeo condemns the chinese crackdown on uighur muslims. The recent attacks in london, tehran, melbourne, paris, and elsewhere have focused attention on the fight against isis inside iraq and syria. Al qaeda exploited the security vacuum and in 2015 took control of large parts of land in the south, including al mukalla, yemens fifthlargest city and a major source of port revenue. Yemen security crackdown as uk and us withdraw staff bbc news. Understanding yemens al qaeda threat al qaeda in yemen. In yemen, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap seeks to strengthen and build its support base through a focus on the local fight.
Yemen synonyms, yemen pronunciation, yemen translation, english dictionary definition of yemen. Yemen a country of southwest asia at the southern tip of the arabian peninsula. Government crackdown against alqaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 january 2010, when yemen declared open war on alqaeda. In october 2002, for example, alqaedas ally in southeast asia. Al qaeda branch in somalia threatens americans in east africa and even the u. Like al qaeda central, aqap opposes the monarchy of the house of saud. Alqaeda should not have survived the 17 years since 911but it has.
Jun 30, 2015 al qaeda s leadership of islamist militancy in yemen is being challenged amid the chaos of civil war by its rival islamic state, which could become a bigger threat to the group than the u. Information and translations of alqaeda in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on. Media caption white house spokesman sean spicer defends yemen raid the white house has said a raid in yemen on an al qaeda stronghold that is thought to have killed civilians was a very thought. See for example farea almuslimi and adam baron, the limits of us military power in. Daniel wagner is the ceo of country risk solutions. In addition to fighting against al qaeda in several provinces, yemen is also battling a northern shiite insurgency and trying to contain separatists in the south. Al qaeda in yemen consolidated its gains and formally. Us closes embassy in yemen amid alqaeda crackdown as part of an unprecedented offensive, yemeni troops seize two of the terrorist groups strongholds in the south by ap and toi staff 8. The organisation he led was considered one of the deadliest jihadist groups in the world, commanding thousands of fighters. The escape is notable because the escapees included several individuals imprisoned for their participation in the uss cole bombing. Alqaeda is almost the least of yemens problems cbc news.
The alqaeda insurgency in yemen refers to armed conflict between the yemeni government with united states assistance, and alqaeda affiliated cells. Government crackdown against al qaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 january 2010, when yemen declared open war on al qaeda. Al qaeda exploited the security vacuum and in 2015 took control of large parts of land in the south, including al mukalla, yemen s fifthlargest city and a major source of port revenue. Al qaeda did checkpoint attack, yemen official says reuters. The yemeni branch of alqaeda aq is stronger than it has ever been. The group formally known as al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. In yemen chaos, islamic state grows to rival al qaeda reuters. The ongoing strife is often categorized as a subconflict in the greater global war on terror. The renewed focus on isis distracts from the greater emerging longterm threat posed by al qaeda. Hide footnote given the collapse of the islamic state in iraq and syria, yemen could provide an attractive. She is now a lecturer in public and international affairs and the director of. Browse the independents complete collection of articles and commentary on alqaeda. The scene of a suicide bombing this year in southern yemen, where a branch of al qaeda has seized large swaths of land. Twentythree suspected al qaeda members escaped from a yemen prison in 2006.
Saudi arabia and alqaeda unite in yemen facts and arts. S authorities felt they had largely eliminated the yemeni branch of al qaeda. The report describes the evolution of alqaeda in yemen since the late 1980s. Jan 06, 2010 yemen crackdown nets 3 al qaeda suspects. Al qaeda in yemen ghaith abdulahad travels deep into yemen s radical heartland to investigate how al qaeda and. Its alliances spanned the middle east and helped it to project power, despite the us. Yemen security crackdown as uk and us withdraw staff bbc. Top al qaeda commander believed to be killed in cia drone. The first antiamerican attack in yemen linked to al qaida took place in 1992 when a group called the islamic jihad movement attacked. Yemen has boosted its crackdown on al qaeda linked fighters ap yemeni security forces have freed seven yemeni hostages and a foreigner in a raid in which seven al qaeda kidnappers were also. The saudi group had been effectively suppressed by the saudi government, forcing its members to seek sanctuary in yemen. By the early 2000s, aqy had weakened as a result of a declining membership, but saudi arabias crackdown on its own local alqaeda branch prompted many. This groundbreaking report describes the state of the al qaeda. Coalition forces announced the longawaited offensive for raqqa and are fighting to liberate mosul.
It builds on crisis groups comparative study of the evolving global jihadist landscape, exploiting disorder. Aug 07, 20 yemen security crackdown as uk and us withdraw staff. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula has emerged as one of the most dangerous al. Yemen serves as an example of how islamist movements will tend toward moderation when. Yemeni forces launch a security blitz in the capital sanaa as the us and uk withdraw diplomatic staff amid fears of an al qaeda linked attack. We bring topics to light that often go underreported, listening to all sides of the story and giving a voice to. Jan 21, 2015 the syriabased terror group isis is active and recruiting inside the middle eastern state of yemen, already a hotbed of terrorist activity, cnn has learned. After a crackdown in the wake of the 911 attacks, yemeni and u. Al qaeda is pursuing a global strategy of enmeshing its forces in local movements and militias. Yemeni government forces have begun a crackdown against suspected alqaida members and.
Until the signing of the yemen saudi arabia peace treaty in july 2000 6 yemen s northern border was undefined. Al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap, which washington has considered al qaedas most dangerous franchise since it attempted several attacks on the united states, is more or less using yemens strategic port city of mukalla to support its other battlefields in yemen, sending weapons, including massive ones shipped via container, to those combating the houthis. This report examines the nexus of regional and local factors fuelling alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap and islamic state iss gains in yemen. Aqap was formed in january 2009 from a merger of al qaeda s yemeni and saudi branches. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap council on foreign. Specializing in suicide operations, they have been a key driver of the sunni insurgency.
Al qaeda in yemen ghaith abdulahad travels deep into yemen s radical heartland to investigate how al qaeda. The yemeni al qaeda crackdown began in 2001 and escalated on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war 8 9 on al qaeda. Yemen troops free alqaeda hostages news al jazeera. Civil war and lawlessness have turned yemen into an alternative base for al qaeda, which u.
Jun 16, 2015 the affiliate, known as al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap, has exploited the chaos of assaults by houthi rebels and an air war in yemen by a saudi arabialed coalition to expand control. Us closes embassy in yemen amid alqaeda crackdown the. It is eight years since osama bin laden, the founder of al qaeda, was killed by us forces in the pakistani town of abbottabad. A history of alqaeda activity in yemen the globe and mail. Apr 26, 2011 al qaeda crackdown fuelled yemen unrest as arab leaders finalise the details of a plan for the yemen president to step down, jamal osman looks at how his governments crackdown on al qaeda. Several ominous signs indicate that the qaeda affiliate, the shabab, is seeking to expand its lethal mayhem well. Oct 29, 2015 the real winner in yemens civil war could be alqaeda. How saudi arabias war in yemen has made al qaeda stronger. Jun 11, 2012 the birth of al qaeda for jihad in the arabian peninsula widely known in the west as aqap merged the previously separate al qaeda operations in yemen and saudi arabia under the leadership of yemeni national nasser abdulkarim al wuhaishi going by the name abu baseer, and a saudi deputy, said ali al shahri going by abu sufyan al azadi. It was ruled by various peoples, such as the sabaeans, himyarites, romans. Government crackdown against alqaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 january 2010. Nov 19, 2012 a gripping account of how al qaeda in yemen rebounded from an initial defeat to once again threaten the united states. Watch fulllength episodes of pbs documentary series frontline for free. It was also believed to have had considerable financial resources.
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