Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USYEM028-B

Incident date

August 24, 2011

Location

العرقوب), Al Arqoub, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.4688890, 45.7638890 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On Aug. 24, 2011, numerous outlets such as the Associated Press, AFP, and CNN reported that between four and six suspected Al Qaeda militants were killed and others were wounded in alleged Yemeni or US strikes in the area of Arkoub in Yemen’s Abyan province, which was overrun by Al Qaeda in May 2011. There are no known reports of civilian casualties in the strike on Arkoub, but outlets differ on other details, such as the number of suspected militants killed and the nature of the strike.

The reporting of one outlet, CNN, stated that four suspected AQ militants were killed in Arkoub “during a clash with the army in Abyan province.” This wording would seem to imply that the strike took the form of ground raids, which are reported to have occurred throughout Abyan at the time, with AP reporting that eight Yemeni soldiers were killed in the area around Zinjibar, alongside a strike that killed 30-40 suspected AQ militants (USYEM027-B).

However, other outlets such as AFP and AP state that the strike in Arkoub killed six militants and was carried out by airstrike. AP reported that the strike was carried out by the Yemeni government, and AFP raising the possibility that the strike could have been carried out by the United States, citing the fact that the US had previously carried out strikes in Yemen and that locals in Arkoub claim that drones frequently patrol the area. CNN also declared “others injured” in the strike, but provided no additional details. On Aug. 24, CNN reported that 29 had been killed and 62 injured between “both sides” during operations in Abyan over the last several days.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the mountainous area of Al Arqoub (العرقوب), near the coastal village of Shaqra, Abyan governorate. The coordinates for Al Arqoub are: 13.4688890, 45.7638890.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–6
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (5) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Yemeni Air Force Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Yemeni Air Force
  • Yemeni Air Force position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–6
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (5) [ collapse]