US Forces in Yemen

US Forces in Yemen

Mabkhout Ali al Ameri with his 18-month old son Mohammed, shortly after a botched US raid on al Ghayil in January 2017 had killed at least 20 villagers, including Mohammed's mother Fatim Saleh Mohsen. © Iona Craig

Belligerent
US Forces
Country
Yemen
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Incident Code

USYEMBi010

Incident date

February 28, 2023

Location

مرخة, Markha, Shabwa, Yemen

Airwars assessment

On February 28th 2023, a drone strike reportedly hit the Al-Alia district of Aqaba Amqwah targeting the Shabwa Defense Forces, on the border between Shabwa and Al-Bayda governorates.  Sources report that the drone strike was either a US drone or a Houthi attack.

According to most sources, one member of the Fifth Brigade in the Shabwa Defense Forces was injured. @aalnaasi also tweeted that the drone “wounded a number of recruits” but did not state how many.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Houthi Forces
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • @basheralburaiki tweeted that the Houthi forces' drone strike hit Aqaba Amqwah on February 28th 2023 (Image via Twitter)

US Forces Assessment:

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

Houthi Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Houthi Forces
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMBi009

Incident date

February 27, 2023

Location

قرب مدرسه الفتح بمنطقة الحصون بمديريه الوادي, near Al fateh School, Al-Hosen region, Wadi Abeda district, Marib, Yemen

Airwars assessment

On February 27th 2023, a reported US drone strike hit a house near Al-Fateh School, in the Al-Hosen region of Wadi Abeda district in Marib, Yemen. According to local sources, two to three people were killed and up to one person was seriously injured.  It was widely reported that the men killed and injured were members of Al-Qaeda, including a commander of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

A source on Twitter @aalnaaasi tweeted, alongside other local and international sources, for example AFP, that that one man killed in the attack was top leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, reported to be Hamad Hammoud Al-Tamimi, also known as “Abdulaziz Al-Adnani,”

Local government sources also told AFP that the other man that died was a Yemeni bodyguard.

According to various local sources, the house was “newly rented”, only a few days to “ten days” before the strike occurred.

There has been no official release from the US declaring this strike.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "The killing of the leader Al-Mukhal / Hamad Hammoud Al-Tamimi - known as Abdulaziz Al-Adnani - a Saudi national, in an air strike carried out by an American drone that targeted a house last Sunday in the Ma'rib Valley" As reported by @aalnaasi / Twitter
  • "According to eyewitnesses, the house was rented by two people a few days ago. The raid comes days after a prisoner exchange deal between al-Houthi and al-Qaeda." (Image via @mosher511 / Twitter)

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMBi008

Incident date

January 30, 2023

Location

محطة الحايرة, Al Hayra petrol station, Mareb, Yemen

Geolocation

15.501673, 45.380729 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On January 30th 2023, an alleged United States drone strike was reported to have hit a car in Wadi Ubaidah in the Marib Governorate of Yemen. Three people were allegedly killed who were in the car at the time, who Al Mahara and other local sources reported were “members of Al-Qaeda”, including a prominent leader in Wadi Ubaidah. @BnMhwr tweeted that one militant inside the car was Hassan al-Hadhrami, “responsible for making IEDs and explosives in al-Qaeda.” No civilian casualties were mentioned by local sources at this time.

Al Khabar Al Yamani news channel reported that the attack happened when the car was waiting in line to get petrol, at the Al-Hayra petrol station. This source and other local sources also identified the missile as a R9X Hellfire. Task and Purpose pointed out that based on images showing that the target vehicle was shredded from the roof in rather than destroyed in an explosion, it is likely the AGM-114 R9X Hellfire missile was used.

A Yemeni government official told AFP on a condition of anonymity, that “three Al-Qaeda members were killed in a strike by a drone that is believed to be American.”

AP described the after-math of the strike as “onlookers gathered around a small, four-door car coated in dried mud, peering through its shattered windows and torn-away roof at three dead men inside.”

Despite most reports attributing this to the US, there was no immediate statement from US officials. Local sources speculated that this could mean that this attack was carried out by the Special Operations Unit (JSOC) or the CIA, according to Al Khabar Al Yamani. US Central Command told Stars & Stripes that there was “no operational reporting at the time of this incident in Yemen”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • On January 30th 2022 a reported US forces drone targeted a petrol station in Wadi Ubaidah, killing three Al Qaeda members (Image via @South24_net / Twitter)
  • Reportedly the strike was with a R9X Hellfire Missile (Image via @akhbar / Twitter)
  • Reportedly the strike was with a R9X Hellfire Missile (Image via @akhbar / Twitter)
  • "The sources said that Hassan al-Hadhrami, responsible for making IEDs and explosives in al-Qaeda, was killed in an air strike carried out by a US drone on his car near al-Hayrah station in the al-Samdah area of Wadi Ubaidah district" (Image via @BnMhwr / Twitter)
  • "According to local sources - quoted by the broadcaster Al Arabyia - the target was Hassan al Hadrami, an extremist specialized in making explosive belts and bombs. At his side were two accomplices." (Image via @e_yementoday / Twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in the vicinity of Al Hayra petrol station (محطة الحايرة), located in Wadi Ubaidah (وادي عبيدة) . According to research conducted by @VleckieHond, the exact coordinates for this strike are: 15.501673, 45.380729. Cross referencing source material, we can confirm the accuracy of this location.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMBi007

Incident date

November 30, 2022

Location

حدبا العوشان, Hadba Al Awshan, Marib, Yemen

Geolocation

15.540801, 45.461054 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one to three civilians, including a woman and two children, were reported killed and up to five others, including a woman, a child and two paramedics, were injured in alleged US drone strikes on a home in the Al-Hadba area of Al-Wadi, Marib on November 30, 2022. A member of Ansar al-Sharia (AQAP) who was renting the home may also have been killed or injured.

Khabar Agency stated that the house was believed to belong to a member of Ansar al-Sharia (AQAP) and that one person was killed and five were wounded, including citizens who tried to rescue survivors of the airstrikes but were injured/killed by shells that exploded. Al-Mawqea Post specified that two civilian paramedics who were trying to rescue the survivors were injured by explosions.

Al-Mawqea Post quoted medics who reported that “two women and two children were rescued from inside the targeted house, while the paramedics rescued a child after one of his feet was amputated in the airstrike, and he was taken with his mother to a nearby hospital in the area” while @KthMuZeaSdcqCgY tweeted that “a woman and her children were killed” as a result of the bombing.

According to @kh89saleh22, the home was a weapons store and the weapons detonated from the airstrike, killing “leaders of the terrorist…organization” as well as women and children. Al Mawqea Post quoted a local source who said that explosive devices, belts, and shells were found stored in the home, causing the explosions.

While Khabar Agency referred to the strike as occurring at dawn, @AlghbaryAtf tweeted that local sources put the drone strike at midnight.

Yemen Press Agency reported that the drone strike hit the house of Hamoud Al-Duwail in Al-Hadba area, Al-Wadi. Al Mawqea Post referred to the home as being inhabited by a displaced person from Al-Bayda governorate, who had rented the home from Hamoud Al-Duwail two years ago, with Yemen Days identifying him as “a prominent leader of the Islah party”. Multiple local sources referred to the location of the home as being in Hadba Al-Awshan market area.

The majority of the sources attributed the strikes to American drones to varying degrees of certainty, with only Yemen Days referring to the “high precision” drone strikes as being with American or Emirati. According to Yemen Days, the strike occurred days after the governor of the province, Sultan al-Arada, concluded an agreement with the UAE that included disengaging him from the Islah party.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Fire and explosions caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by Yemen Press Agency)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by Al Mawqea post)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by Al Mawqea post)
  • Fire and explosions caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @VG7FzHXGNBa2LwY)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @bdallhbnbwdals1)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @bdallhbnbwdals1)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @bdallhbnbwdals1)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @bdallhbnbwdals1)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @bdallhbnbwdals1)
  • Damage caused by caused by alleged US drone strikes on a home east of Marib on November 30, 2022. (Image posted by @bdallhbnbwdals1)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a market, allegedly located with the village of Hadba Al Awshan (حدبا العوشان), east of Marib (مأرب) city. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Habda Al Awshan are: 15.540801, 45.461054.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMBi006

Incident date

February 6, 2022

Location

الكولة, Al Kawlah, Mareb, Yemen

Geolocation

15.54686, 45.41379 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 6th 2022, an alleged US drone strike was reported to have struck a car with Al-Qaeda members inside, possibly including a ” suspected leader.”  All passengers – reported as Al-Qaeda militants – in the car were reported to have been “killed and wounded”, and civilian casualties were also reported of those “who were near the operation.” Although multiple sources reported that “civilians” were harmed, it is not clear how many were killed and injured as a result of this drone strike, at this stage.

The drone strike targeted the car in the Al Kola area in Wadi Ubayda, in the Mareb governorate of north Yemen.

A tweet from @Islandcorner2 as well as Fromo2g News referenced “civilians who were near the operation” as being victims of the drone strike but did not mention how many.

According to local sources, three Al-Qaeda militants were killed in total. One source, Fromo2g reported that the militants belonged to “Hadi’s forces”, but this was the sole reference. Saras 24 indicated that the military group were “affiliated with Hadi’s forces.”

Local sources referenced that the car was “loaded with ammunition” and that the militants had guns. This caused the care to explode when it was struck by the drone.

Al Youm Al 7 reported that “the aerial bombardment, preceded by hours of flying, led to the burning of the car and the charring of the bodies of those on board” which meant that the identity of the targeted leader could not be understood. Apparently, Al-Qadea militants were deployed into the area after the raid and prevented entry and exit into the area.

According to Akhbar Al Aan news, a US drone was launched from a military base in Dijbouti.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected targets
    Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • After an alleged US drone strike in Mareb, Al-Qaeda were reported to have blocked off the area, preventing exit and entry (Image via Saras 24)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in the vicinity of Al Kawlah (الكولة) village, in the north east of Wadi Obeida (وادي عبيدة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Kawlah are: 15.54686, 45.41379.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected targets
    Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr238

Incident date

December 15, 2021

Location

آل عوشان, Al Awshan, Ma’reb, Yemen

Geolocation

15.56779, 45.47923 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one Al Qaeda member was killed by alleged US drone strikes on a house in the Hadba Al-Awshan area on December 15, 2021.

Yemen Anbaa News reported that a drone believed to be American killed an emir of Al Qaeda in an abandoned house in the Hadba Al-Awshan area. He was alleged to be returning from “fighting in the ranks of the [Saudi] coalition forces in one of the Wadi Ubaidah areas” and after he was killed, members of Al Qaeda removed his body “amid great secrecy” about his identify.

According to @18_ymany, the drone struck a house rented by Al Qaeda leaders who “came from Shabwa to reinforce the forces of Khain Hadi” without mentioning how many casualties resulted from the attack. Ali Al Nasi added that the house was rented two months ago by unknown people “believed to be coming from Shawba”.

A tweet a day after the incident by @mosher511 identified two Al Qaeda members who were killed but it is unknown if they were killed in the same incident. The two fighters were Rawha Al-Qaifi who was affiliated with Al-Bayda and  Islam Al-Tazir who was a member of the Malahem Network.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • two Al Qaeda members who were killed but it is unknown if they were killed in the same incident. The two fighters were Rawha Al-Qaifi who was affiliated with Al-Bayda and  Islam Al-Tazir who was a member of the Malahem Network. (Image posted by @mosher511)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Al Awshan (آل عوشان), for which the generic coordinates are: 15.56779, 45.47923. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMBi004-C

Incident date

November 13, 2021

Location

عقبة امقوة, Aqba Amkawa, Shabwa, Yemen

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed and another civilian, a woman, was injured in alleged Saudi Coalition or US drone strikes on the Olaya Markha district of Shabwa governorate. Sources were conflicted about whether the other two to three people killed and two to three people wounded were civilians or members of Al Qaeda.

A Facebook post by Mohammed Al Yamani provided information that four civilians were killed and two others were injured in a Saudi Coalition airstrike on a car in the Olaya Markha district of Shabwa governorate.

A local source told “Al-Harf 28” that an unidentified aircraft struck a car in the “Amquh” area of Markah Olaya district and that the preliminary numbers indicate that three “citizens” were killed and two others were injured, all of whom belong to the “Al Mursas” tribe. News Yemen also put the number of people killed at three but reported that three other people were wounded.

A Facebook post from Ali Al Nasi identified the car as bringing to Ali bin Alawi Al Rasas and that the raid led to “the injury of the son of the owner of the car, Ahmed bin Ali”. They stated that the fate of the rest of the passengers in the car was unknown but later identified two people as being injured, adding that the targeted people are well known for their stance against ISIS.

A post from Saif Al Mahjari provided more information on the victims: in the first strike, two people were seriously injured – Ahmed Ali bin Alawi and bin Muthbi. While the wounded were being helped, there was another bombing, and this bombing killed three people – Hussein bin Ali bin Ahmed, Ibn Dahmash and Ibn Sawad, who were said to be brothers. A post from Abdualkarem Saleh Alrasas also provided similar names of people killed – Hussein bin Ali bin Hamad Al-Rasas, Ibrahim Dahmash Alawi Al-Rasas, Hussein Mohammed Al-Rasas.

Xinhua News reported that three people believed to be affiliated with Al Qaeda were killed in US drone strikes that targeted a car carrying six people, wounding the three other passengers. X99 News quoted a security official, who said that the strikes occurred after noon in front of a US military base and resulted in the death of two gunmen associated with Al Qaeda and a civilians. They also identified two separate strikes as occurring but didn’t specify which casualties occurred during which strikes.

A local government official clarified to AFP what occurred in the two separate strikes: “A drone that is believed to be American targeted a car carrying a man, who is likely an Al-Qaeda member, and his wife, resulting in the injury of both,” a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP. “Three people, a civilian and two suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen, who were in a vehicle that was heading to the site to assist the wounded were targeted in another strike and killed.” A second government official in the border region between the central provinces of Shabwa and Al-Bayda confirmed the two strikes and death toll.

On January 20, 2022, the director of SITE Intelligence Group said that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has announced the death of a military commander/former Bin Laden associate Salih bin Salim bin Ubayd ’Abolan (AKA Abu ‘Umayr al-Hadhrami) in US airstrike in Yemen. However, the announcement did not mention when or where his death occurred but @Rita_Katz associated it with this incident that occurred on November 14th, 2021.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the strikes or were not able to identify who carried them out. The majority of sources attribute the strikes to the Saudi Coalition. However, the Yemeni Press identified the “US-Saudi aggression” as responsible and Xinhua News blamed US drones for the strikes.

In an email to Airwars on November 18th, the US military denied carrying out any attack, noting that “CENTCOM conducted its last counterterror strike in Yemen on June 24, 2019. CENTCOM has not conducted any new counterterror strikes in Yemen since.”

This does not however preclude actions by the CIA – which is known to have conducted at least three strikes in Yemen since that date.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

  • Ahmed Ali bin Alawi male Conflicted as to whether he was a civilian or Al Qaeda member injured
  • bin Muthbi female Possibly the wife or other family member of Ahmed injured

Family members (3)

  •  Hussein bin Ali bin Hamad Al-Rasas male Conflicted as to whether he was a civilian or Al Qaeda member killed
  •  Ibrahim Dahmash Alawi Al-Rasas male Conflicted as to whether he was a civilian or Al Qaeda member killed
  • Hussein Mohammed Al-Rasas male Conflicted as to whether he was a civilian or Al Qaeda member killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Saudi-led Coalition, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–4
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–2

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Map of incidents in Yemen
  • Map of the possible location of the strikes in Yemen on November 13, 2021. (Image posted by Giopioneer)
  • BREAKING: AQAP announces death of military commander/former Bin Laden associate Salih bin Salim bin Ubayd ’Abolan (AKA Abu 'Umayr al-Hadhrami) in US airstrike in Yemen. Strange that group did not specify date/location. Reports show US airstrike killed 3 AQAP militants on Nov. 14. (Image posted by @Rita_Katz)

Saudi-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Saudi-led Coalition
  • Saudi-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Saudi-led Coalition, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–4
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–2

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMBi003

Incident date

November 13, 2021

Location

حدبى ال عوشان, Hadba Al Aushan, Shabwa, Yemen

Geolocation

15.546025, 45.466297 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one person, identified as an Al-Qaeda affiliate, was killed in alleged US drone strikes on the Al-Hadba area in the Wadi Marib district of Yemen the afternoon of November 13, 2021.

A post from Hudhud Sabaa news alleged that a US drone strike targeted an Al-Qaeda affiliate from Al-Dhalea’s Al-Dhalea district in Hadbaa Al-Aushan. A tweet from @BdylJbrann identified the drone strike as killing one person but did not mention whether they were a militant or not.

A post from Maareb Al Izz also identified one person as being killed by US drones and added that he was killed instantly from the strikes.

In an email to Airwars on November 18th, the US military denied carrying out any attack, noting that “CENTCOM conducted its last counterterror strike in Yemen on June 24, 2019. CENTCOM has not conducted any new counterterror strikes in Yemen since.”

This does not however preclude actions by the CIA – which is known to have conducted at least three strikes in Yemen since that date.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Hadba Aushan (حدبى ال عوشان) area, for which the generic coordinates are: 15.546025, 45.466297. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (7) [ collapse]