Incident Code
USYEM285
Incident Date
24 November 2016
Location
Sawmaah, Al Bayda, Yemen
Airwars Assessment
Last Updated: May 7, 2026
(Previous Incident Code: YEM253 )
Two AQAP fighters were killed in a US counter-terrorism strike on Sawmaah, Centcom confirmed. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm.
Centcome stated: “Nov. 24, a strike killed two AQAP operatives in al-Baydah”.
The strike was originally reported by Xinhua news agency.
An unnamed security official said two members of AQAP were killed in a US drone strike in Sawmaah district of Bayda province.
The strike reportedly hit a motorcycle killing the two members instantly, including an alleged local commander.
There are no other details at this time.
Military Statements
U.S. Forces Assessment
Known belligerent
U.S. Forces
U.S. Forces position on incident
Not yet assessed
U.S. Forces Strike Report
Twenty-eight terrorists were killed in Yemen in nine strikes against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula between Sept. 23 and Dec. 13, according to a U.S. Central Command news release issued today.
Seal of U.S. Central Command
“AQAP is a foreign terrorist organization with a history of attacks against the United States and its allies, including the Christmas Day 2009 attempted bombing of a commercial airliner in the U.S., and the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo office massacre in Paris,” Army Maj. Josh T. Jacques, a Centcom spokesman, said in the release.
“Strikes against AQAP in Yemen pressure the terrorist network and hinder their ability to attack the U.S. and our allies,” Jacques said.
Dates of strikes follow:
-- Sept. 23, a strike killed four AQAP operatives in Marib near al-Bayda;
-- Sept. 29, in a previously reported strike, two AQAP operatives died after they were targeted in al-Baydah governorate. Originally, Centcom reported one death and one injured in the strike. It is now confirmed that the hospitalized terrorist later died of those injuries;
-- Oct. 6, a strike killed two AQAP operatives in Shabwah governorate;
-- Oct. 18, a strike killed six AQAP operatives in Shabwah;
-- Oct. 21, a strike killed five AQAP operatives in Marib governorate;
-- Nov. 20, a strike killed one AQAP operative in al-Baydah governorate
-- Nov. 24, a strike killed two AQAP operatives in al-Baydah;
-- Nov. 30, a strike killed three AQAP operatives in Hadramawt governorate; and
-- Dec. 13, a strike killed three AQAP operatives in Marib.