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. Four civilians were also reportedly killed in the strike. Anwar alawlaki 19712011, believed to have been the driving force behind the groups expansion. Alqaedas future in a wartorn yemen carnegie endowment. Al qaeda exploited the security vacuum and in 2015 took control of large parts of land in the south, including al mukalla, yemens fifth. The sudden spread of al qaeda in south yemen was seen by many yemenis as a ruse by saleh, a northerner, to warn western and. Aqy attacked the yemeni government and western targets in the country. Qasim alraymi, 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 during a visit to kazakhstan, turkey carries out an airstrike against syrian forces, and more.
In 2009, the group appeared in its current name and structure after the merger of al qaeda offshoots in yemen and those fleeing the security crackdown in saudi arabia. Yemens fourth wave of jihadist violence is its most potent. Together, they formed aqap under the leadership of nassir al wuhaishi. It is unclear when aaas successor, al qaeda in yemen aqy, officially came. Propose to split this article to alqaeda insurgency in yemen 19982011 and ansar alsharia insurgency in yemen part of the yemeni crisis 2011present in the consequence of discussion at list of ongoing military conflicts page. Aug 07, 20 yemen is the base of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap which has recently suffered a series of setbacks after the military launched an offensive in june with the help of us forces. Operation eagle strike siadd alternative history fandom. May 08, 2014 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 may 2014. Yemeni forces arrest three suspected alqaeda militants who were wounded in a raid. The operation was a response to the attempted bombing of northwest airlines flight 253 on december 25, 2009. Many of the militants fled the saudi crackdown and regrouped to set up a base in yemen. Al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap has been the only part of al qaeda to show any operational capacity to launch attacks against the u. Fighting alqaeda is now a priority in yemen, alarabiya english, 14 may 2016. The yemeni government, americas counterterrorism partner, is weaker.
In 2009, the group merged with its saudi counterpart under the umbrella of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap. Al qaeda s yemen arm said on friday it was behind coordinated attacks on security offices in the arabian peninsula state in which four people were killed, and threatened more strikes on yemeni targets. Sana, yemen yemeni security forces arrested three suspected al qaeda militants from a cell that the u. Jan 21, 2010 yemen s government is trying to find ways to combat al qaeda, which has a strong presence in the country. The 3 terrorists from al qaeda in yemen every american should know. Top al qaeda commander believed to be killed in cia drone. We bring topics to light that often go underreported, listening to all sides of the story and giving a voice to. Yemens government is trying to find ways to combat alqaeda, which has a strong presence in the country. The us considers yemens branch of al qaeda to be the. Jan 06, 2010 yemen crackdown nets 3 al qaeda suspects.
He was among 23 al qaeda fighters who escaped from a yemeni prison in. Yemen security crackdown as uk and us withdraw staff bbc news. Yemen said earlier this month it was hunting down two senior tribesmen that the u. Leiter, director of the national counter terrorism center. The yemeni alqaeda crackdown began in 2001 and escalated on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war 8 9 on al qaeda. The 3 terrorists from alqaeda in yemen every american should. The government in yemen has launched a crackdown against the aqap, which attacks military targets, tourists and diplomats in the country. Aircraft have been acquired by donations from other countries supporting either the soviet union or the united states during the. Yemen escalated a crackdown on al qaeda this year, and further stepped up security measures after accusing al qaeda of a june 19 attack on the police intelligence building in the southern city of.
Government crackdown against alqaeda cells began in 2001, and reached an escalation point on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war on al qaeda. Ansar al sharia, an offshoot of al qaeda, last year exploited political turmoil to capture several cities in. On 6 th february 2020, the us announced the killing of qassim alrimi, the yemenbased leader of alqaeda in the arabian peninsula, following a counterterrorism operation. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap was formed in january 2009 by a merger. On the counterterrorism front, alqaeda in the arabian peninsula found itself weaker than ever in 2019, focused on a fourfront war against various yemeni foes. Yemen, next to top oil exporter saudi arabia, leapt to the forefront of western security concerns after the yemenbased al qaeda wing claimed responsibility for a failed attempt to bomb a u. Saana has launched several air raids in recent weeks on people suspected of belonging to. Strikes at leader of qaeda in yemen the new york times. Al qaeda crackdown fuelled yemen unrest channel 4 news. Introduction the unrest that swept across northern africa and the middle east during the arab spring created openings for al qaedas affiliates to gain and consolidate safe havens.
In addition to battling al qaeda across several provinces, yemen is also contending with shiite insurgency in the north and militant separatists in the south. 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 may 2014. Yemen arrests 8 qaeda suspects, including saudi news. The us and british embassies closed for two days this week, and other western embassies took security. Despite a subsequent crackdown on islamist militants and radicals by the saudi. The yemen branch, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula, has tried to. It once again flourished following the saudiled military campaign against the houthis in march 2015, peaking in its strength later that year after capturing mukalla, yemens fifth largest city, in september. 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. A member of the times staff since 1983, he has shared three pulitzer.
The yemeni al qaeda crackdown began in 2001 and escalated on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war 8 9 on al qaeda. 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. Qasim alraymi, 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. Start this article has been rated as startclass on the projects quality scale this article has not yet received a rating on the projects importance scale. In bahrain, the sunniled monarchy would launch a crackdown on the countrys shiite majority. Oct 23, 2012 al qaeda goes underground in yemen against u.
Jan 30, 2020 on the counterterrorism front, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula found itself weaker than ever in 2019, focused on a fourfront war against various yemeni foes. The perpetrator, the 23yearold muslim nigerian abdul farouk. Many of the aircraft used by yemen are from south yemen and only a small percentage from north yemen due to the fact that south yemen was an ally of the soviet union during the cold war and the soviets supplied them with military hardware. Ali abdullah saleh, yemens authoritarian leader snared in. We bring topics to light that often go underreported, listening to all. Government crackdown against alqaeda cells began in 2001, and reached an escalation point on january 14, 2010, when yemen declared open war on alqaeda. The report describes the evolution of alqaeda in yemen since the late 1980s. 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. The renewed focus on isis distracts from the greater emerging longterm threat posed by al qaeda. In yemen, alqaeda would gain a greater foothold and remain active amid the chaos of war and famine.
Gunmen on motorcycles stormed police and intelligence offices in south yemen and. On 3 june 2011, american manned jets or drones attacked and killed abu ali alharithi, a midlevel alqaeda operative, as well as several other militant suspects in a strike in southern yemen. Al qaeda claims yemen attacks, vows more strikes daily. Yemen is the base of alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap which has recently suffered a series of setbacks after the military launched an offensive in june with the help of us forces.
Al qaeda urges the syrian opposition not to rely on the west or the arab league for help toppling president bashar alassad. The 3 terrorists from alqaeda in yemen every american should know. Al qaeda in yemen aqy was the yemeni affiliate of al qaeda, formed in 2000. The birth of alqaeda for jihad in the arabian peninsula widely known in the west as aqap merged the previously separate alqaeda operations in yemen and saudi arabia under the leadership of yemeni national nasser abdulkarim alwuhaishi going by the name abu baseer, and a saudi deputy, said ali alshahri going by abu sufyan alazadi. The 3 terrorists from alqaeda in yemen every american. Hide footnote in northern yemen, where the battle against huthisaleh forces continues, the coalition has engaged in tacit alliances with aqap fighters, or at least turned a blind eye to them, as long as they have assisted in attacking the common enemy. One of these enemies was the yemeni affiliate of the islamic state group, with the two rival jihadi groups carrying out more operations against one another than any other entity in 2019. Oct 29, 2010 at al jazeera english, we focus on people and events that affect peoples lives. The scene of a suicide bombing this year in southern yemen, where a branch of al. Al qaeda claims south yemen security hq attack reuters. Government crackdown against al qaeda cells began in 2001, and reached an escalation point on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war on al qaeda. Us closes embassy in yemen amid alqaeda crackdown the. Far from the battlefields of iraq and afghanistan, the united states and alqaeda are fighting a clandestine war of drones and suicide bombers in.
Yemeni security forces arrested three suspected al qaeda militants from a cell that the u. Aqap, alqaedas strongest franchise, captured much southern territory after yemens 2011 revolution. Yemen expels more than 100 foreign islamic clerics in crackdown on al qaeda. Numbers of aircraft can not be confirmed but serviceability of these aircraft is low. 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. 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. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap has been the only part of alqaeda to show any operational capacity to launch attacks against the u. Al qaedas affiliate in yemen, which has already attempted three attacks on the united states, is stronger now than it was before the start of the arab spring. Jun 26, 2012 many of the militants fled the saudi crackdown and regrouped to set up a base in yemen. Please participate by improving this article, or visit the project page for more information. 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. The arrests were the latest move in yemen s usbacked crackdown on al qaida s offshoot here. Yemeni forces capture three al qaeda militants as u.
Al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap is a sunni terrorist organization and al qaeda aq affiliate based in yemen. Since the death of osama bin laden, yemen has become the hottest front in the war against al qaeda. Now, with headlines about a terrorist plot to bomb a u. Dec 30, 2017 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.
The ongoing war on alqaeda in yemen trends research. At al jazeera english, we focus on people and events that affect peoples lives. The resilience of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap, despite increased u. Yemen expels more than 100 foreign islamic clerics in crackdown on alqaeda.
Oct 24, 2012 despite aqaps resourcefulness in south yemen, mohammed qahtan of the islamist islah party in sanaa is confident that al qaeda, which killed 100 soldiers in a suicide attack on a sanaa military parade in may, was now feeling more heat. A gripping account of how alqaeda in yemen rebounded from an initial defeat to once again threaten the united states. President trump declared that alrimis death will weaken alqaeda and is another step toward eliminating the security threat the terrorist group poses to the united states. Aqap has also capitalised on the instability in yemen in recent years 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. In yemen, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap seeks to strengthen and build its support base through a focus on the local fight.
Alqaeda insurgency in yemen is supported by wikiproject yemen, which collaborates on yemenrelated topics on wikipedia. Government crackdown against al qaeda cells began in 2001, and reached an escalation point on january 14, 2010, when yemen declared open war on al qaeda. The yemeni air force was created in conjunction with the unification of southern and northern yemen in 1990. 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 is pursuing a global strategy of enmeshing its forces in local movements and militias. Emerging from the 2009 merger of the yemeni and saudi arabian branches of al qaeda, aqap has claimed numerous attacks in yemen and has also targeted westerners at home and abroad. The group formally known as al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. The percentage of terrorist plots in the west that originated from pakistan declined considerably from most of them at the outset, to 75% in 2007, and to 50% in 2010, as alqaeda shifted to somalia and yemen.