Cia thwarts al qaeda underwear bomb plot near anniversary. Nov 19, 2012 a gripping account of how al qaeda in yemen rebounded from an initial defeat to once again threaten the united states. Understanding yemens al qaeda threat al qaeda in yemen. Why yemens alqaeda branch is so feared by the west cbc. How saudi arabias war in yemen has made al qaeda stronger. A gripping account of how alqaeda in yemen rebounded from an initial defeat to once again threaten the united states. Al qaeda in yemen is one of the factions oldest franchises. Al qaeda in yemen ghaith abdulahad travels deep into yemens radical heartland to investigate how al qaeda and. The man who defeated alqaeda in yemens mukalla isis. Islamic state has made al qaeda largely irrelevant marketwatch.
Saudi arabia and alqaeda unite in yemen foreign policy journal. Alzawahiris parents both came from prosperous families. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula has emerged as one of the most dangerous alqaeda affiliates, strengthening amid political unrest in yemen. Islamic state has made al qaeda largely irrelevant. Us soldier killed in yemen raid on alqaeda, local officials. Its statement yesterday saying the attempted bombing on christmas day was in retaliation. The yemeni branch of alqaeda aq is stronger than it has ever been. The arrival of these saudi operatives and the escape of key yemeni operatives from prison in february 2006 revitalized al qaedas yemen branch.
Al qaeda now runs its own ministate, flush with funds from raiding the local central bank and levying taxes at the local port. May 29, 2012 given 911 and the history of al qaeda activity in yemen prior to 911 notably but not just the attack on the uss cole in 2000 countering al qaeda in yemen was the clear priority during my. Alqaedas shadow government in yemen the washington. However, the conditions that had initially given al qaeda the freedom to advance in yemen still largely persist. While there may be some overlap in these groups, they are both different. The affiliate, known as alqaeda 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. Despite a subsequent crackdown on islamist militants and radicals by the. Yemeni alqaeda crackdown, 97861975530, please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from. Alqaeda definition of alqaeda by the free dictionary. In addition to fighting against al qaeda in several provinces, yemen. Jan 11, 2018 houthi rebels were largely defeated in the city of taiz in southwestern yemen more than a year ago. Time world editor bobby ghosh explains how protests to oust yemens preseident saleh could lead to instability and a strengnthened alqaeda. Yemeni government forces have begun a crackdown against suspected alqaida. In yemen, the resurgence of alqaeda operatives since 2006 is also seen as a u.
Media caption white house spokesman sean spicer defends yemen raid the white house has said a raid in yemen on an alqaeda stronghold that is thought to have killed civilians was a. 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. Al qaeda in yemen confirms retreat from port city of. The twoway in a youtube video, nasr alansi, a leader of alqaida in the arabian peninsula, said the attack was in vengeance for the. The renewed focus on isis distracts from the greater emerging longterm threat posed by al qaeda. Meaning that even if aqap does not recover to its previous form, the faction or its fighters could still partake in new forms of violence. The government in yemen has launched a crackdown against the aqap, which. Houthi rebels were largely defeated in the city of taiz in southwestern yemen more than a year ago. 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. Watch fulllength episodes of pbs documentary series frontline for free. A more virulent and extreme form of jihadism has emerged after a u. This article came just a day after amnesty international called on washington to.
Alqaida in yemen takes responsibility for paris attack. In each of these cases, the regional leadership pledged loyalty to the al qaeda leader, ayman al zawahiri, who. Far from the battlefields of iraq and afghanistan, the united states and alqaeda are fighting a clandestine war of drones and suicide bombers in an unforgiving corner of arabia. Yemen, the united states, and alqaeda institute for policy studies. Like al qaeda central, aqap opposes the monarchy of the house of saud.
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. Alqaedas continuing challenge to the united states lawfare. The alqaeda insurgency in yemen was an armed conflict between the yemeni government, united states, and alqaeda affiliated cells in yemen. Yemen synonyms, yemen pronunciation, yemen translation, english dictionary definition of yemen. Neighbouring saudi arabia is watching the fight against alqaeda in the. The al qaeda affiliate in yemen, usually referred to as aqap or al qaeda in the arabian peninsula was founded in 2009 after the yemeni and saudi branches of the terrorist organisation combined.
Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula has emerged as one of the most dangerous al. 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. The name, meaning supporters of islamic law, can be more easily equated with pure islamic aims and a. It has become synonymous with the terrorist attacks of september 11 but what is the origin of the name alqaida. Al qaeda in yemen aqy was the yemeni affiliate of al qaeda, formed in 2000. Get breaking national and world news, broadcast video coverage, and exclusive interviews. 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. Government crackdown against al qaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 january 2010, when yemen declared open war on al qaeda. Two months ago the washington post reported that cia sources believe alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap based in yemen now represents a greater threat to the us security than alqaeda in pakistan. 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. Alqaeda vs taliban difference and comparison diffen. In syria, under hurras, alqaedas syriabased supporters are focused on establishing support networks and specialized cells, including for external operations despite competing local priorities. Yemen a country of southwest asia at the southern tip of the arabian peninsula.
Yemens al qaeda branch on saturday confirmed it had withdrawn from the yemeni seaport of mukalla a week after government and emirati soldiers seized the city used by islamist militants to amass a. S national security more at stake than in yemen, from where al qaeda in the arabian peninsula has twice launched attempts to attack the u. Saudi arabias counterterrorism campaign in the mid2000s denied al qaeda operating space within the kingdom, driving many of the saudi operatives into yemen. Several ominous signs indicate that the qaeda affiliate, the shabab, is seeking to. Aqap formed in 2009 from a merger of al qaeda s franchises in yemen and saudi arabia after the latter was devastated by saudi authorities. Commander of yemen government forces that defeated al qaeda in the southern city of mukalla speaks to al jazeera. Yemen troops free alqaeda hostages news al jazeera.
Aqap was formed in january 2009 from a merger of al qaeda s yemeni and saudi branches. Giles foden on how bin laden may have been inspired by isaac asimovs foundation. Alqaeda defector al fadl, who was a former member of qatar charity, testified in court that abdullah mohammed yusef, who served as qatar charitys director, was affiliated to alqaeda and simultaneously to the national islamic front, a political group that gave alqaeda leader osama bin laden harbor in sudan in the early 1990s. 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. In late 2008, a crackdown by the saudi government led remnants of the local. The arab wars on terror european union institute for security. The alzawahiri family was considered distinguished while they lived in maadi. Yemen has boosted its crackdown on alqaedalinked fighters ap yemeni security forces have freed seven yemeni hostages and a foreigner in a raid in. In yemen, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap seeks to strengthen and build its support base through a focus on the local fight. A summary of global news developments with cfr analysis delivered to your.
To the surprise of many observers, the alqaeda core under ayman alzawahiri has not launched a major terrorist attack in the west for years, and the rise of the islamic state seemed to signal the groups further decline. Specializing in suicide operations, they have been a key driver of the sunni insurgency. Oct 19, 2012 saudi arabias counterterrorism campaign in the mid2000s denied al qaeda operating space within the kingdom, driving many of the saudi operatives into yemen. Yemeni forces launch a security blitz in the capital sanaa as the us and uk withdraw diplomatic staff amid fears of an alqaedalinked attack. It was ruled by various peoples, such as the sabaeans, himyarites, romans.
As al qaeda establish a stronghold in yemen, this looks at yemen s attempts to beat them off. The scene of a suicide bombing this year in southern yemen, where a branch of al qaeda has seized large swaths of land. The real winner in yemens civil war could be alqaeda. 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.
Government crackdown against alqaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 january 2010, when yemen declared open war on alqaeda. Privacy and cookies policy and we want you to know what this means for you and your data. Ayman alzawahiri was born in 1951 in the neighborhood of maadi, cairo, in the then kingdom of egypt, to mohammed rabie alzawahiri and umayma azzam family. Local officials say 41 al qaeda militants, as well as 16 civilians, were killed in the attack. Jan 07, 2015 a more virulent and extreme form of jihadism has emerged after a u.
Alrimi became an al qaeda trainer in his early twenties, having trained terrorists at an alqaeda camp in afghanistan in the 1990s according to the us state department, then gradually progressing through aqaps ranks. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap was formed in january 2009 by a. 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. Oct 29, 2015 the real winner in yemens civil war could be alqaeda. Introduction this report examines the nexus of regional and local factors fuelling alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap and islamic state i ss gains in yemen. 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.
Britain and the us said yemen s problems required a broader range of solutions than a simple crackdown on alqaeda affiliates. Alqaida in yemen has been galvanised into winning local support over recent months by direct us and british support for yemens counterterrorism efforts, according to sources close to the group. An international organization of loosely affiliated cells that carry out attacks and bombings in the attempt to disrupt the economies and. Aug 07, 20 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. Asfandyar mir of stanford argues that this lack of focus is a mistake. Aug 24, 2002 it has become synonymous with the terrorist attacks of september 11 but what is the origin of the name al qaida. In yemen, alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap also appears resilient, notwithstanding some important losses. It builds on crisis groups comparative study of the evolving global jihadist landscape, exploiting disorder. Feb 25, 2020 alrimi became an al qaeda trainer in his early twenties, having trained terrorists at an alqaeda camp in afghanistan in the 1990s according to the us state department, then gradually progressing through aqaps ranks.
Al qaeda branch in somalia threatens americans in east africa and even the u. Jan 06, 2010 yemen crackdown nets 3 al qaeda suspects. Alqaeda is strong in many areas of yemen because government security services have long neglected to confront it in those areas. 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 yemeni alqaeda crackdown began in 2001 and escalated on january 14, 2010 when yemen declared open war 8 9 on al qaeda. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the united nations and several countries and international organizations. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap has confirmed the killing of its top leader nasser alwuhaishi in a usled drone strike in yemens hadramout last week. Alqaeda definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Government crackdown against alqaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 january 2010. Alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap council on foreign. Alqaeda began as a logistical network to support muslims fighting against the soviet union during the afghan war.
Apr 08, 2016 one unintended consequence of the war in yemen. Aqap has also capitalised on the instability in yemen in recent years to. Al qaeda may adapt in yemen following leader alrimis death. On sunday, fahd alquso, a senior al qaeda leader, was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle along with another operative in the southern shabwa province of. He contends that alqaeda remains resilient and that the group continues. 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. 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. Additionally, many local communities lack a mechanism for defending themselves from violence and intimidation. This report examines the nexus of regional and local factors fuelling alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap and islamic state iss gains in yemen.
Alqaeda and taliban are distinct terrorist groups of extremist muslims who misinterpret the tenets of islam to further a violent agenda. Yemen security crackdown as uk and us withdraw staff bbc. Therefore, washington should share the lessons it has learned from building local protective forces in. Only after the united states inserted special forces into northern afghanistan and then began bombing afghanistan did us and alqaeda and alqaedaaffiliated fighters come into the sort of regular and protracted clashes that observers. Thriving on conflict, sectarianism, and local opportunism, alqaeda s affiliates are stronger than ever in yemen. Although alqaeda in iraq was severely weakened during the 2007 us military. Al qaeda is pursuing a global strategy of enmeshing its forces in local movements and militias. The saudi group had been effectively suppressed by the saudi government, forcing its members to seek sanctuary in yemen. Determining when the armed conflict with alqaeda started. To shrink their growing base will require better governance in vulnerable areas, not treating all sunni islamists as one enemy, and above all ending yemen s civil war. 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. Osama bin laden was born in saudi arabia, his father in. Us pounds al qaeda in yemen, but barely dents risk of. Al qaeda crackdown fuelled yemen unrest channel 4 news.
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