Drone Strikes in Yemen

[invinciblesgunner]

"suspected" is the dangerous word here lmao, how many innocents have these drones killed anyway? The war of terrorism which US started should be renamed to "How to create extremists" This war is a big failiure and the US has created more terrorists than they have killed.

 

[TruthSeeker]

2 AQAP commanders reported killed in Shabwa drone strike

By OREN ADAKISeptember 27, 2014


Adel Hardaba, an AQAP leader reported killed yesterday. Source: Yemen Forum.

Following the US drone strike that took place on Sept. 25, local reports from Shabwa province suggest that two prominent leaders in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have been killed. [See LWJ report: US launches second US drone strike in Shabwa in 2 weeks.]

The two AQAP commanders thought killed in Thursday's strike were identified as Adel Hardaba and Muhader Ahmad Muhader by both Arabic press reports and Twitter accounts affiliated with AQAP. A formal AQAP statement regarding the deaths has yet to be released.

According to media reports, Adel Hardaba, who hails from Lahj, was an AQAP commander in the Lawdar region of Abyan in southern Yemen, located close to the border of Baydha province. Hardaba has a long history of fighting for AQAP in the Lawdar region. Reports from August 2010 claim that he was arrested following clashes between Islamist militants and Yemeni forces in Lawdar.

Hardaba was reportedly involved in intense fighting around the city of Lawdar in April 2012 during which AQAP briefly controlled the city before a Yemeni military push to dislodge the militants. Following his brief arrest by the Yemeni Popular Committees during the course of fighting for Lawdar in April 2012, Hardaba went into hiding and disappeared.

This is not the first report of Hardaba's death as a result of a drone strike. Local Yemeni media had reported that Hardaba was killed in a US drone strike on August 10, 2013.

The second AQAP member reported killed in yesterday's drone strike, Muhader Ahmad Muhader, is believed to hail from Lahj province's Tha'alab region and served as a local AQAP commander in Lahj. Local sources told the Yemeni news outlet Aden al-Ghad that Muhader was "accused by the security authorities of being one of the most prominent leaders belonging to Ansar al Shariah that has carried out widespread assassination operations in Lahj that have included security officials and [private] citizens." Ansar al Shariah is AQAP's political front in Yemen.

Little is known about Muhader from the Arabic press, except that he was considered one of AQAP's "rehabilitated" members as recently as last year. In March 2013, Muhader met with the governor of Lahj province, Ahmad Abdullah al Majidi, who urged Muhader to start "a new, white page" in his life. At that meeting, Muhader reportedly ensured the governor that he would be trustworthy and would "be among those rehabilitated that will participate in pursuing and disseminating the principles of moderation and staying away from extremism and terrorism." The same report mentioned that Muhader was a member of AQAP's "advocacy committee."

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/09/2_aqap_commanders_re.php#ixzz3EehKXLl6

US drone strike kills 2 AQAP fighters in Al Jawf

By BILL ROGGIO & OREN ADAKI, September 27, 2014

Local officials in Yemen's northern province of Al Jawf told Arabic media outlets that a US drone strike yesterday evening killed two suspected members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The strike took place in the Khasaf region, east of the provincial capital of Hazm.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the drone strike targeted a vehicle with two AQAP fighters on board as they were traveling from Marib province. The eyewitnesses reported that both passengers were killed on site. The identities of the two fighters have yet to be confirmed.

Sources also claimed that three young children, said to be brothers, have been injured as a result of the strike. The brothers were reportedly wounded while in the vicinity of their homes, close to the location of the strike.

Al Jawf is a known haven for top al Qaeda leaders. US drones have struck AQAP in Al Jawf six other times since the beginning of 2010. The last strike in the province took place on March 12 and killed a local AQAP military commander known as Moajab bin Aziz, as well as his bodyguard.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/09/us_drone_strike_kill_31.php#ixzz3EehZLuPW

 

[TruthSeeker]

3 AQAP fighters reported killed in US drone strike
By BILL ROGGIO, October 24, 2014

The US reportedly killed three al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters today in a province in central Yemen where the jihadist group is battling Shia Houthi rebels who have advanced southward after taking control of the capital of Sana'a last month.

The remotely piloted Predators or Reapers killed the three fighters in a strike in the Manasseh area near the city of Rada'a in Baydah province, Reuters reported. The strike targeted Ansar al Sharia, AQAP's political front in Yemen. The US State Department described Ansar al Sharia as an "alias" of AQAP in its designation of the former group in 2012.

It is unclear if any senior al Qaeda or Ansar al Sharia leaders were killed in the US drone strike. AQAP has not announced the death of any of its senior leaders or operatives.

The Manasseh area in Baydah is a known haven for AQAP fighters and leaders. The US has launched three other airstrikes in Manasseh since late December 2012. The last such attack took place on Aug. 30, 2013. The US killed Kaid al Dhabab and two fighters in a strike on a vehicle in that airstrike. Kaid served as the group's emir for Baydah.

Today's strike is the first since Oct. 15. Four AQAP operatives, including Mahdi Badas, the group's emir for Shabwa, were reported to have been killed in a strike that targeted a vehicle in the southern province of Shabwa.

The US has launched four drone strikes in Yemen since Shia Houthi rebels, which are backed by Iran and are enemies of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, took control of the capital of Sana'a on Sept. 22. The Houthis have since advanced southward and taken control of the port city of Hodeidah and the central Yemeni city of Dhamar. The Houthi rebels also seized areas outside of Radaa in Baydah before halting their advance.

AQAP and the Houthis have since been battling outside of Radaa and elsewhere in Yemen. AQAP has positioned itself as the defenders of Sunnis in Yemen as the government and military have collapsed in the face of the Houthi advance.



Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/10/3_aqap_fighters_repo.php#ixzz3HMgNoTuR

 

[TruthSeeker]

US drone strike kills 20 AQAP fighters in Yemen
By BILL ROGGIO & OREN ADAKI, November 4, 2014

The US reportedly killed up to 20 al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters in a drone strike today in the central Yemeni province of Baydah. The strike took place in an area where the jihadist group has been battling Shiite Houthi rebels who have advanced southwards after taking control of Sana'a, the capital, in late September.

The remotely piloted Predators or Reapers attacked AQAP targets due east of the city of Radaa, the site of protracted fighting between AQAP and Houthi rebels who began advancing on the city on Oct. 15. Local media reports indicated that the drones targeted a number of vehicles in the area, including a truck carrying weapons and a four-car AQAP convoy.

According to tribal sources and eyewitnesses, 20 AQAP fighters were killed in the strike. Some Yemeni news sources identified two of the slain fighters as explosives experts Ayyash al Eid and Ahmad Jarallah a.k.a. Abu Saleh, both of whom may have been trained by AQAP master bombmaker Ibrahim al Asiri or one of his lieutenants. Other reports went so far as to suggest that up to 30 AQAP fighters have been killed by US drone strikes in several locations northeast of Radaa.

Strike coincides with AQAP-Houthi fighting in Baydah

The US drone strike occurred amid fierce clashes in the Radaa area between AQAP and Sunni tribesmen and Shiite Houthi rebels that began around 1:00 a.m. today and lasted till dawn. Local sources claimed that two AQAP-led attacks in Radaa city and the Jabal al Tha'alab region left up to 29 Houthi rebels dead. Arabic press reports indicated that the drone strike took place after AQAP withdrew from the area today at dawn.

Fighting resumed in Radaa this afternoon, most notably in the Dar al Najd, Subeira, and Qaa' Radaa districts of the city. Clashes erupted following a new series of attacks reportedly launched by AQAP targeting Houthi checkpoints in the area. Five more casualties were reported as a result of the renewed combat, which is currently centered around a mountain range northeast of Radaa.

Today's strike is the first since Oct. 24. Three AQAP operatives were reported killed in that strike, which targeted the Manasseh area near Radaa in Baydah province. These past two drone strikes have targeted AQAP fighters as they escalate terrorist operations throughout the country in an attempt to counter the Houthi advance.

The US has launched five drone strikes in Yemen since the Houthi rebel forces, which are backed by Iran and are outspoken enemies of AQAP, took control of the the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, on Sept. 22. The Houthis have since pushed southward and taken control of the port city of Hodeidah, the central Yemeni city of Dhamar, and the entirety of Ibb province. Significantly, AQAP has attacked the southwestern district of al Adayn in Ibb province and held it twice in defiance of the Houthi advance.

The US has carried out 22 strikes in Yemen so far this year. The US ramped up its air campaign in Yemen in 2009, and has conducted 105 air and cruise missile strikes in the country since the program was expanded. Prior to 2009, the US launched one airstrike, against al Qaeda in Yemen in 2002.



Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/11/us_drone_strike_kill_33.php#ixzz3IJJiykJE

 

[TruthSeeker]

US drone strike kills 7 terrorists in southern Yemen

By BILL ROGGIO & OREN ADAKI, November 12, 2014

The US reportedly killed seven al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters in a drone strike early this morning in the southern Yemeni province of Shabwa. The strike took place in the Azzan region of the province, located about 80 kilometers from the coast and long considered an AQAP stronghold in the country.

The remotely piloted Predators or Reapers attacked the AQAP fighters as they were gathered "under a group of trees" in Azzan, according to tribal sources. Some Yemeni military sources reported that the strike targeted AQAP fighters as they were driving a small truck through Azzan. The Yemeni Ministry of Defense claimed that the seven terrorists killed in the operation were in the process of planning an attack in the area using a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), a tactic of choice by AQAP.

Local and tribal sources also suggested that two additional strikes took place during the night between Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 between the towns of Azzan and Mayfaa in Shabwa. However, no information regarding those alleged attacks is forthcoming.

While the exact target of the strike has not been disclosed, and it is unclear if any senior AQAP leaders or operatives were among those killed or targeted, it appears the US launched the attack in support of Yemeni military operations against a local AQAP threat.

This morning's operation highlights a continuing trend of the US targeting local AQAP commanders and fighters who are waging a local insurgency against the Yemeni government. This trend was first identified by The Long War Journal in the spring of 2012 [see LWJ report, US drone strike kills 8 AQAP fighters, from May 10, 2012].

This contradicts a US Department of Justice white paper that claimed the drone program will target only those AQAP operatives who "present an 'imminent' threat of violent attack against the United States."

The US has carried out 21 strikes in Yemen so far this year; several of those strikes have targeted AQAP's local network. The US ramped up its air campaign in Yemen in 2009, and has conducted 106 air and cruise missile strikes in the country since the program was expanded. Ten of those attacks took place in 2011, 41 in 2012, 26 in 2013, and 23 so far this year. Prior to 2009, the US launched one airstrike, against al Qaeda in Yemen in 2002.



Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/11/us_drone_strikes_kil_3.php#ixzz3IsmmpMjk

 

[TruthSeeker]

US drones kill 4 AQAP fighters in southern Yemen

By BILL ROGGIO, anuary 31, 2015

The US killed four suspected al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters in a drone strike today in southern Yemen. The strike is the second reported in Yemen this week.

The remotely piloted Predators or the more deadly Reapers fired missiles at a vehicle as it traveled in Al Saeed in Shabwa province, Reuters reported. Four suspected AQAP fighters were killed in the attack, according to The Associated Press.

The identities of those killed in the US counterterrorism operation have not be disclosed. AQAP has not released an official statement announcing the death of senior leaders or operatives.

The strike is the second in Yemen this week, as well as the second so far this year. Last year, US drones hit 23 targets in Yemen. AQAP's leadership has remained intact and the group has remained a threat to Yemen as well as the international community, despite a concerted US air campaign that was ramped up in 2009. AQAP claimed credit for directing the recent terrorist attack in Paris, France.

The last strike, on Jan. 26, is controversial as one of the three purported AQAP fighters who was killed was just 13 years old. According to The Yemen Times, AQAP said that the 13 year-old, identified as Mohammed Saleh Duaayman, was a member of the group and that the family receives support from the jihadist group after his father and a brother were killed in a US drone strike late last year.

"Mohammed's family emphatically deny that he was a member of Al-Qaeda," The Yemen Times reported. But "Their home is covered in Al-Qaeda flags ..."

Both strikes this year took place after Houthi rebels overran the capital of Sana'a and forced President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the government to resign. Hadi was a staunch supporter of US counterterrorism efforts, including drone strikes, despite local and international criticism.

The Houthis, a Shiite minority that is backed by Iran, is no friend of the United States. The group's motto is "Death to America," and it is expected that support for US operations will wane as Houthi influence grows.

Additionally, Sunni tribes who oppose the Houthi incursion into central and western Yemen may turn to AQAP in the absence of a Sunni-led government. Earlier this week, AQAP claimed it conduct joint operations, under the guise of Ansar al Sharia, its political front, against the Houthis in Marib. AQAP release a statement titled "Tribes of Marib and Ansar al Shariah Repel a Houthi Campaign in Marib of Northern Yemen," which was obtained by the SITE Intelligence Group. AQAP claimed it assassinated a Houthi leader in Sana'a during the "campaign."

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/01/us_drones_kill_4_aqa_3.php#ixzz3QiqQmwWd

 

[TruthSeeker]

Influential AQAP ideologue killed in US drone strike
By THOMAS JOSCELYN, February 5, 2015



Harith bin Ghazi al Nadhari, a senior AQAP sharia official, was killed in a US drone strike on Jan. 31.


A US drone strike in southern Yemen on Jan. 31 killed Harith bin Ghazi al Nadhari, a senior al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) sharia official. Nadhari's death was confirmed in a "martyrdom" statement issued by the group via Twitter and other web sites earlier today.

Nadhari praised the attack on Charlie Hebdo's offices just days after the massacre on Jan. 9. He did not claim responsibility for the operation, but another senior AQAP official subsequently did.

The AQAP statement announcing Nadhari's death was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. AQAP confirms that Nadhari worked for its sharia committee, and says that three other fighters were killed in the drone strike.

AQAP portrays the bombing that killed Nadhari as being part of a working agreement between the US and the Shia Houthis rebels who overran Yemeni government positions in recent weeks. The drone strike "came a few hours after the completion of the deal for the Houthis to take control of the administration of the country with an American and regional collusion," the statement reads, according to SITE's translation. "The Houthis have become a loyal partner to America in preserving its interests and executing its plans in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula."

The Houthis receive at least some support from Iran. And AQAP frequently claims that they are part of an alleged US-Iranian axis that is opposing Sunni Muslims throughout the region.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/02/influential_aqap_ide.php#ixzz3Qvb7pqKp

 

[TruthSeeker]

Jihadists mourn slain AQAP sharia official

By THOMAS JOSCELYN, February 6, 2015

Yesterday, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) confirmed that one of its senior sharia officials, Harith bin Ghazi al Nadhari, had been killed in a US drone strike on Jan. 31 in southern Yemen. Jihadists aligned with al Qaeda's international network quickly issued their condolences upon hearing the news.

"He was a worthy son of Islam who worked towards the establishment of a caliphate on the path of the Prophet," Wilayat Dagestan, a "province" of the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Caucasus Emirate (ICE), said in a statement on its official web site. "This brother left us exactly at a time when we acutely need scholars like himself," the message continues, according to a translation obtained by The Long War Journal.

Wilayat Dagestan has been embroiled in a controversy, as its former leader and other ICE members swore allegiance to the Islamic State late last year. It is not clear how much sway they have in Dagestan and elsewhere at the moment, but the group's propaganda arm remains loyal to al Qaeda. The defectors were denounced by ICE's emir, Abu Muhammad al Dagestani, who named a new leader for the jihadist group's Dagestan "province."

Nadhari was one of the ten jihadist ideologues who endorsed Dagestani as ICE's leader, and denounced the defectors, in a statement that was issued shortly before his death. Wilayat Dagestan's statement commemorating Nadhari implicitly recognizes the controversy over the defectors, as it references the supposedly proper way to re-establish the "caliphate" and the necessity of having "scholars" such as him. One of al Qaeda's central critiques of the Islamic State's "caliphate" is that it was not established according to the Prophetic method, as Abu Bakr al Baghdadi and his subordinates did not first build support for their endeavor among recognized jihadist authorities.



Abdallah Muhammad al Muhaysini, an al Qaeda-linked cleric who works closely with the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria, openly mourned Nadhari on his Twitter feed. Muhaysini changed the profile image on his Twitter feed, which has approximately 345,000 followers, to a picture of Nadhari.

Muhaysini also posted an image of himself alongside Nadhari to commemorate his fallen comrade. The image can be seen to the right.

The SITE Intelligence Group reports that Sirajuddin Zurayqat, a leader of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades in Lebanon, similarly praised Nadhari in a pair of tweets. "May Allah have mercy on Sheikh Harith al Nadhari and accept him among the martyrs, and may He make our mujahideen brothers stand firm in the Arabian Peninsula," Zurayqat wrote, according to SITE. "Here are American drones flying over the agents of Iran to kill soldiers of the Most Gracious in the Yemen of faith."

The "agents of Iran" referenced in Zurayqat's tweets are the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis are backed, at least in part, by Iran. And AQAP consistently portrays America's actions in Yemen as being part of a supposed Iranian-American axis that is fighting Sunni Muslims throughout the greater Middle East. Zurayqat played upon this same theme in his tweets mourning Nadhari's death.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/02/jihadist_mourn_slain.php#ixzz3R1Rfh46A