(Previous Incident Code: YEMT204)

Three US drone strikes reportedly targeted a convoy of alleged AQAP militants travelling through Aqaba Al Qandha area of Shabwa governorate, on the morning of September 2nd 2019. No known sources gave information on casualties of the strikes, and there were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

“Private sources” told Shabwa Press that US drones had targeted the militants as they travelled to support pro-government military operations in Shabwa, destroying three cars. Shabwa Press noted that Aqaba al-Qandaa is a key route in the area, linking Beihan with Bayda governorate.

Three local language social media sources, including @alsalahi_fahad, later indicated that there were “charred bodies” in the cars. Identical phrasing in these sources, however, indicates that they reflected one original post. Given the report of multiple bodies, minimum reported deaths has been set at two.

On October 4th 2019, a US Central Command spokesperson told New America that no US military strikes had been conducted in Yemen since June 24th 2019. It is, however, possible that an undeclared strike was conducted by the CIA, or was part of a clandestine US military action.