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

USYEMTr083

Incident date

May 8, 2017

Location

صحن الجن, Sahn Al Jin, Marib, Yemen

Geolocation

15.505900, 45.326273 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple local language sources reported that US airstrikes targeted alleged AQAP militants with “phosphorous bombs” near Sahn Al Jin, in Marib governorate, on May 8th 2017.

Though most sources assigned responsibility to the US, two social media sources instead asserted that Saudi Arabian forces were responsible, leading Airwars to assess this event as Contested. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Sources indicated that “dozens” were killed and injured in the strikes, reportedly targeted alleged militants training on a farm near the Sahn Al Jin “Tadawin” camp. As such, Airwars has set the minimum number of deaths at twelve, with a maximum of 24, to reflect the description of “dozens”. Numbers of injured belligerents have been set similarly.

According to some sources, three phosphorous bombs were dropped in the area. Most suggested that the strikes were carried out by a drone, though some instead mentioned ballistic missiles.

Though no sources explicitly mentioned the timing of the reported strikes, alleged images of the strikes indicated that they took place during the night.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Incendiary
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Saudi-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    12–24
  • Belligerents reported injured
    12–24

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Multiple local language reported that phosphorous bombs targeted alleged AQAP militants in or near Sahn al-Jin on May 8th 2017. Alleged photographs of the strikes indicated that they took place during the night. (@Net333Raed, May 8th 2017).
  • Multiple local language reported that phosphorous bombs targeted alleged AQAP militants in or near Sahn al-Jin on May 8th 2017. Alleged photographs of the strikes indicated that they took place during the night. (@Net333Raed, May 8th 2017).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a farm being struck in the vicinity of Sahn Al Jin (صحن الجن) military camp. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Sahn Al Jin are: 15.505900, 45.326273.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Saudi-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Incendiary
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Saudi-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    12–24
  • Belligerents reported injured
    12–24

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr191

Incident date

March 25, 2019

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.313489, 45.305892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A confirmed US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 25th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. According to a later CENTCOM press release, all US strikes in March 2019 targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate.

Multiple sources reported at the time that a drone, which many alleged to be American, had targeted pro-government forces in Hazmiyah district, Bayda, on that date. However this assignation of responsibility was contested, with both UAE and Houthi forces also blamed. Those reports are accounted for in event USYEMTr190.

Since there were no other known locally reported US strikes on March 25th, Airwars has created two separate US-declared events for March 25th – which are this incident, and USYEMTr192.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Sources variously alleged that the US, the UAE, and Houthi forces were responsible for one or more of the strikes (Yemen Shabab, March 25th 2019)
  • A drone, which some alleged to be American, reportedly targeted pro-government forces in Hazmiyah, Bayda (Aden Gad, March 25th 2019)
  • Five government soldiers were reportedly killed in the course of strikes in Hazmiyah, Bayda, though responsibility for their deaths was variously attributed to the US, the UAE, and Houthi forces (Almarsd Post, March 25th 2019)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Al Bayda (البيضاء) governorate. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Bayda governorate are: 14.313489, 45.305892.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Al Bayda (البيضاء) governorate.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

Our Yemen strikes data has been updated for individualized dates after CENTCOM responded to an inquiry on the eight strikes in 2019. Strikes were as follows: 1/1, 1/21, 3/25, 3/25, 3/26, 3/28, 3/29, and 3/29. All but 1/1 in al Bayda'

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (30) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr057

Incident date

March 30, 2017

Location

شرجان, Sharjan, Al Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.01472194, 45.80194392 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US drone strike reportedly killed alleged AQAP leadership figure Nayef Al-Damaji and his “companions” in the Sharjan area of Al Suma’a district, Bayda governorate, on March 30th 2017, according to two local-language news outlets.  There were no known reports of civilian harm.

According to both sources, Yemen Voice and Akhbarak, the strike targeted Al-Damaji as he travelled in a car between Suma’a and Makirais.  Al-Damaji was alleged to be the AQAP leader in Lauder, Abyan governorate.  Akhbarak cited a Sky News Arabia report, which could not be found by Airwars.

The strike reportedly killed Al-Damaji and “a number” of his “companions”.  Given this, Airwars has assessed that a minimum of three militants were reportedly killed in this strike.

Other sources alleged that a strike had targeted Al-Damaji’s home in Al Wade’a, Abyan governorate, on the same night (USYEMTr058), though some indicated that it was unclear whether Al-Damaji had been killed in his home.

This reported event took place amid a dramatic intensification of US operations against AQAP beginning in early March 2017. On April 3rd, Pentagon spokesperson Captain Jeff Davis said that, from February 28th to the final week of March, fifty US airstrikes were conducted 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 in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in the vicinity of Sharjan (شرجان) village, for which the generic coordinates are: 14.01472194, 45.80194392. 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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

The U.S. military conducted airstrikes over eastern Yemen during the weekend, targeting the sites of extremist group al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, director of Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters today.

“We continue to target [al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula] in Yemen, and this is done in the interest of disrupting a terror organization that presents a very significant threat to the United States,” Davis said.

Strikes Target Terrorists

During the weekend in Yemen’s Shabwah governorate, the precision airstrikes targeted al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorists, as well as the terrorists’ infrastructure, fighting positions and equipment, the spokesman said.

The airstrikes follow the late-January U.S. raid in Yemen during which a U.S. service member died. From Feb. 28 through last week, some 50 airstrikes were conducted, Davis noted.

The weekend airstrikes, which were largely unmanned, bring the total to 70, he said.

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 in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM034-C

Incident date

September 5, 2011

Location

مدرسة الفاروق الثانوية في جعار, Al-Farouq high school, Jaar, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.210097, 45.305594 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, a child, was killed and four others, including two children, were injured in the alleged US drone strike or Yemeni airstrike that hit the Al-Farouq High School in Ja´ar Abyan Province on the 5th of September 2011. Wafaa Mohammed Ahmed al-Hamza (8 years old) was killed and her father Mohammed Ahmed Baggash and her brother Sabr (13 years old) were among the civilians injured.

Mareb Press reported that airstrikes hit Al-Farouq High School and that the number of victims killed and wounded was in the hundreds. This number of civilian casualties was not reiterated by other outlets but Amnesty stated that Wafaa Mohammed Ahmed- Al-Hamza (8 years old) was killed by flying shrapnel. The report stated that: “She and her brother had brought lunch for her father, who worked as a school janitor. While at the school, which was not one of those occupied by Ansar al Shari’a, a missile landed on a section of Ja’ar’s main asphalt road adjacent to the metal entrance gate of the school…The father, who was injured in the shoulder, carried Wafaa and knocked on a neighbour’s door for help”. The neighbour stated that Wafaa was brought to a pharmacist in Batis who pronounced the young girl dead. The report further mentions the injury of Wafaa’s 13-year-old brother who sustained a knee injury.

Whilst not specifying the date, BBC reported on the alleged incident that killed Mohammed Ahmed Baggash’s daughter Wafaa. After hiding from the drone strikes in the school, the school was hit by a drone strike. Mr Baggash said: “It was as if everyone was burning. It was all dark. When the smoke cleared, I saw my son’s leg was bleeding, and my daughter was hit on the back of the head” whilst both children were carried out of the site, his son survived but his daughter bled to death on the way to hospital. Mr Baggash recalled that his daughter started shrinking in his arms. In addition, BBC asserted the injury of further children. Alkarama reported that in addition to the child killed, four others were injured, two men and two children.

Mondoweiss published a report on the alleged incident, with identical names but different times, as it claimed the attack was carried out on the 7th of September, not on the 5th. Mr Baggash told members of Codepink that he and “his children ran to the local school to hide in the basement, afraid there might be another strike. Huddling on the floor, they tried to protect Wafaa by sandwiching her between them.” Mr Baggash’s back was injured whilst his son sustained an injury on his leg. He claimed that Wafaa died on her way to the hospital in Aden. Following the incident, Sabr, Wafaa’s brother, had nightmares for six to eight months and the children in the community were terrified every time they heard or saw a plane.

The airstrikes on Al-Farouq High School was one of multiple airstrikes carried out on September 5th, which hit the Grand Mosque, Al-Razi Hospital, Al-Farouq High School, the Drilling Department, the Jaar Court, and Beit Al-Watti. Sources were conflicted as to whether the airstrikes carried out on this day were conducted by US forces or the Yemeni government.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Wafaa Mohammed Ahmed al-Hamza الحمزة أحمد محمد وفاء
8 years old female killed
Mohammed Ahmed Baggash
Adult male injured
Sabr
13 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Al Farouq High School (مدرسة الفاروق الثانوية) in the town of Jaar (جعار), for which the generic coordinates are: 13.210097, 45.305594. 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

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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM029-B

Incident date

August 25, 2011

Location

وادي حسان, Wadi Hassan, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.128141, 45.448983 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged US drone strike that took place on Wadi Hassan, south Zinjibar was reported to kill up to eight militants, with no civilian harm reported, on August 25th 2011.

Eight suspected Al Qaeda-linked militants were killed in the airstrike. Multiple sources named a local Al Qaeda leader Abu Jaber al Sanaai as killed in the strike.

Critical threats also named three other militants – Ahmed Saleh Farhan bin Jalal, Hamza Saleh Hamza bin Jarullah, and Mohamed bin Mubarak Mohamed bin Jarullah – from the Ma’rib governorate as also being killed in the alleged strike.

The militants were reportedly members of Ansar al-Sharia, or ‘supporters of Islamic Sharia’, a group linked to al Qaeda.

France24 reported that up to 14 militants had been alleged to be killed in airstrikes over the 24th and 25th of August in South Zinjibar, which includes USYEM027-B and USYEM028-B.

Local residents claimed that the strike had been carried out by US drones. France24 added that the CIA director Leon Panetta “said his country was carrying out anti-terrorism operations 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
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    8

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the are of Wadi Hassan (وادي حسان), south-east of Zinjibar (زنجبار), for which the generic coordinates are: 13.128141, 45.448983. 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
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    8

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM069-B

Incident date

April 29, 2012

Location

الجوف‎, Jawf, Yemen

Geolocation

16.550533, 45.55584 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three Al Qaeda militants were killed by airstrikes allegedly carried out by US and/or Yemeni forces in the Al Jawf governorate on April 29, 2012.

On April 29th, 2012, tweets began appearing from @alshadadi1986, Nabeel Alodainai (@imc_r) and Suhail News concerning the killing of three Al Qaeda operatives in a car moving through the AlJawf governorate. Later, Yemeni military sources stated that three suspected Al Qaeda operatives were killed in an airstrike that targeted their car traveling in the Al Hasm area of the Al Jawf governorate. Mareb Press cited a Yemeni military official speaking on anonymity who confirmed the targeting of the vehicle, but the official did not state whether it was the Yemeni military or U.S. drones that conducted the strike. However, the Yemen Air Force did not have capabilities to strike moving cars.

Additionally, a tribal witness told Mareb Press that the operatives were traveling to visit families of Al Qaeda members killed in armed conflicts with the Yemeni government. This same source added that the car carrying the three men was “completely destroyed”. In a report filed by the Associated Press, an anonymous Yemeni official noted the death of the three men who were allegedly linked with Al Qaeda, but the official could not provide details on their identities, the reasons for their travels in Al -Hasm, or who was responsible for the strike. There are no reports of any civilian deaths.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that a vehicle was targeted in the northern governorate of Jawf (الجوف‎). The generic coordinates for the province of Jawf (الجوف‎) are: 16.550533, 45.55584. Due to limited information and satellite imagery 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

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM117-B

Incident date

August 6, 2012

Location

القيفة, Qayfa, Dhamar, Yemen

Geolocation

14.5333330, 44.6833330 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the night of August 6th 2012, between six to ten Al Qaeda militants were killed in a suspected US drone strike or Yemeni airstrike in Qayfah, Dhamar province. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm.

The official state news agency SABA reported that among the dead was local Al Qaeda leader and wanted bomb-maker Abdullah Awad al Masri (also known as Abu Osama al Marebi). While his nationality is unknown, Long War Journal speculated that his surname al-Masri indicates he is of Egyptian origin. The other six casualties were allegedly militants from different nationalities: Abu Ja’afar al Iraqi, a Bahraini; Abu al-Bara’a al Sharori, a Saudi; Abu Musa’ab al Nasri and Abu Hafsah al Mesri, Egyptians; Abu Hafsah al Tounisi, a Tunisian; and Ebrahim al Sakhi, Yemeni. According to the Long War Journal, a Jihadist website reported on 15th August 2012 that a Tunisian named Muhammad bin Muhammad (possibly above mentioned Abu Hafsah al Tounisi) had died in the attack. Long War Journal also reported on a statement posted by the website Shumukh al Islam with links to AQAP. The statement read “al Tunisi was from the city of Benzert al Jala’a. He “joined the convoy of mujahideen in the Yemen of victory after he spent years in the prisons of the runaway tyrant Zine El Abidine Ben Ali,” the former president of Tunisia who was ousted last year during a national uprising”.

The strike took place a part of Qayfah closely bordering Radaa in al-Bayda and many outlets located the strike to Radaa. There was a strike in Manasih in al-Bayda on the same day that hit a motorbike and some media, like YEMENPOST, Saba and Sheikh Ahmed Zaid, a leader in Radaa speaking to Yemen Times, attributed the casualties of this strike to Manasih.

Some sources, including the Yemen Times, said that the strike hit two vehicles, one of which was ridden by al Masri. A tribal source told Agence France-Presse that “[f]our explosions rocked the area, which was overflown by two drones in the evening.” According to the Chinese state press agency Xinhua, residents “recognised the sound of the drone, which they said had flown over the area for hours before firing the missile.”

The Yemen Post holds Yemeni security forces responsible for the strike. However, most reports including Xinhua, Fox News, BBC Arabic, and Long War Journal claim that the strike was carried out by US drones, drawing on eyewitnesses, local sources, and Yemeni security officials. The US was the only known country with a military presence in the region that possessed drones at the time of the strike.

The incident occured during the night.

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 attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6–10

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention multiple locations, all in the northwestern part of Bayda’a (ٱلْبَيْضَاء‎) province or just across the governorate’s border in Dhamar (ذمار‎) province. The one area that refers directly to the 7 deaths that occurred in this incident is that of the village of Qayfa (القيفة), for which the coordinates are: 14.5333330, 44.6833330. Other areas mentioned are Rada’a city (coordinates: 14.415088, 44.840937), the village of Manaseh (المناسح) (coordinates: 14.579762, 44.750219), the village Sailat Al Jarra (سائلة الجراح) (coordinates: 14.5689930, 44.7515590) and the area of Walad Rabee’a (which we were unable to locate), but they might be connected to other strikes. Due to limited information and satellite imagery 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

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 attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6–10

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr105

Incident date

October 16, 2017

Location

يكلا‎, Yakla, Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.598056, 45.060000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

More than fifty ISIS militants were reported killed in the course of US airstrikes on two ISIS training camps in Wald Rabi area, Bayda governorate, on October 16th 2017, according to a US Central Command statement released on December 20th 2017. At the time, the US had reported killing “dozens” of ISIS fighters.

According to the CENTCOM statement released in December, the strikes constituted the first against ISIS in Yemen, which “used the camps to train militants to conduct terror attacks using AK-47s, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and endurance training”. The two camps were about twenty miles apart, a US official told ABC News, and were targeted by both manned and unmanned aircraft.

This and earlier CENTCOM statements confirmed reports that US airstrikes had targeted alleged ISIS militants in the Yakla area early in the morning of October 16th. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

According to several sources, including Al Masdar Online and @demolinari, local residents said that eight strikes targeted the camp in Yakla, the site of several US strikes and a ground raid against alleged AQAP militants in early 2017. Four strikes also reportedly targeted the second camp, in Al-Abil (see USYEMTr106).

While the final publicised number of deaths in the strikes, according to the US, was “over fifty”, initial US statements indicated that dozens were killed in the course of the strikes across the two camps. Only two sources gave alternative casualty numbers.  One, @MasadryNet, gave an initial report that five militants were killed, while the other, counter terrorism analyst @DonKlericuzio, said that “about 34” had died.

Since no known sources gave specific casualty figures for the two strike locations, Airwars has split the US casualty figure of “over fifty” evenly between USYEMTr105 and USYEMTr106. Some sources suggested that other alleged militants may have been wounded in the strikes, leading Airwars to assess that a minimum of two militants were reportedly injured. This figure has also been split between USYEMTr105 and USYEMTr106.

Locals told AFP that the camps had been named after prominent ISIS figures. One was reportedly named after Abu Bilal al Harbi, described as the group’s Yemen chief, and the second after former global spokesman Abu Mohamed al-Adnani, who was killed in a US air strike in Syria in August 2016.

According to India TV News, local residents told Xinhua News that “large explosions” were heard and that “cars rushed to rescue the victims”. The original reported Xinhua article could not be found. AFP reported that villagers were prevented by tribal leaders from approaching the area, “for fear of additional strikes”.

According to “tribal sources” reported by Aleshteraky, aircraft had been present in the area for three days prior to the strikes. One week previously, on October 9th, ISIS had released sixteen photos of militants training in the “Abu Muhammad al-Adnani” camp.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    ISIS - Yemen
  • Belligerents reported killed
    25
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (36) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (20) [ collapse]

  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • A week prior to the strikes, ISIS released sixteen photos of militants training in the "Abu Muhammad al-Adnani" camp, reportedly one of two camps targeted by US airstrikes on October 16th 2017 (Long War Journal, October 16th 2017).
  • CENTCOM's initial report on its first strikes against ISIS in Yemen.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention training camps being struck in the vicinity of Yakla (يكلا‎) village, within the Wald Rabi district (بمديرية ولد ربيع). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Yakla are: 14.598056, 45.060000.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

U.S. forces have conducted multiple ground operations and more than 120 strikes in 2017 to remove key leaders and disrupt the ability of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS-Yemen to use ungoverned spaces in Yemen as a hub for terrorist recruiting, training, and base of operations to export terror worldwide.

AQAP is one of the terrorist groups most committed to and capable of conducting attacks in America, as assessed by the intelligence and defense communities, while intelligence estimates indicate that ISIS-Y has doubled in size over the past year.

In November, the U.S. conducted 10 strikes across Yemen governorates al-Bayda, and Marib including a strike on Mujahid al-Adani, AQAP Shabwah leader, who was killed Nov. 20 in al-Bayda Governorate, Yemen. Al-Adani, also known as Mohammad Shukri, was a senior leader responsible for planning and conducting terrorist attacks against Yemeni, Coalition and tribal security forces. He exerted significant influence within AQAP's terrorist attack networks, similarly, maintained close ties and access to the group's other senior leaders, and previously served as an AQAP military leader in Aden.

Al-Bayda AQAP facilitator Abu Layth al-Sanaani and three AQAP associates were also killed in the Nov. 20 strike.

Ruwahah al-Sanaani, also an AQAP facilitator, was killed Nov. 2 in Marib Governorate.

In October, a strike Oct. 19 killed Ubaydah al-Lawdari, the Emir of Lawdar, and four associates in al-Bayda Governorate. Al-Lawdari had been known to provide equipment and money in support of AQAP attacks against Coalition forces, posing an increased threat to U.S. interests.

Meanwhile, a series of strikes against two ISIS terror training camps in al-Bayda Oct. 16 killed more than 50 ISIS-Y combatants, disrupting the organization's attempts to recruit and train new fighters.

"The removal of key facilitators in this region will interrupt AQAP's freedom of movement and likely force the group into a reactionary posture, limiting their ability to challenge Yemeni Security Forces and partnered advances," said Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a CENTCOM spokesman.
"U.S. forces also expanded counterterrorism operations in October to encompass both AQAP and ISIS. This parallel targeting effort is required to prevent ISIS-Y from filling the vacuum left by a diminished AQAP footprint or influence in the region," he said.

Ongoing operations pressuring the network have also degraded AQAP's propaganda production, reducing one of the methods for the terror group to recruit and inspire lone wolf attacks across the globe. The al-Masra Newsletter, previously published three times a month, has not been published since July.

Al-Malahim Establishment for Media Production, which produces AQAP's terrorist-inspiring video series, as well as Inspire Magazine, saw a large drop in October. Unable to produce video series and graphic terror-inspiring magazines, AQAP has resorted to using low-tech audio messages.

"U.S. forces have enabled regional counterterrorism partners to regain territory from these terrorists - forcing them to spend more time on survival," said Brown. "These operations have helped to illuminate terrorist networks, making intelligence-gathering, subsequent targeting and follow-on operations increasingly productive and effective.

"Every strike, every raid and every partnered operation advance the defeat of these violent extremist organizations. U.S. forces will continue to use all effective measures to degrade the groups' ability to export terror."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    ISIS - Yemen
  • Belligerents reported killed
    25
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (36) [ collapse]