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

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US Forces
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Yemen
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Incident Code

USYEMTr188

Incident date

February 20, 2019

Location

المنطقة العسكرية الأولى ,سيئون, The First Military Zone, Seiyun, Hadramout, Yemen

Geolocation

15.945407673, 48.787047759 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two local-language sources suggested that at least one US drone strike had taken place in Hadramout governorate on February 20th 2019. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Security sources told Aden 24 that a US drone flew low over the “first military zone in Sayyoun Hadramout”, and attempted to target two “terrorist elements”, including a senior leader. According to these sources, anti-aircraft fire targeted the drone, which responded by firing a warning shot in the area. It was unclear whether the drone killed anybody in the strike, or if it succeeded in targeting the mentioned “terrorist elements”.

A second local-language Twitter source, @VsQnjYon47ZepdJ, suggested that three alleged AQAP militants were killed by a US drone strike in Wadi Hadramout, which also wounded nearby soldiers. Airwars has therefore assessed that three belligerents were reportedly killed, and at least two were reportedly injured.

It is possible that these sources describe discrete events.

In a later press release, US Central Command did not assert that any US military strikes had taken place in February 2019.

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
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the The First Military Zone (المنطقة العسكرية الأولى) being struck, within the city of Seiyun (سيئون), Hadramout (حضرموت) governorate. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Seiyun are: 15.945407673, 48.787047759.

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 in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr032

Incident date

March 3, 2017

Location

الغيل‎, Al Ghayil, Al Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.592945, 45.038975 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a report by The Intercept, US helicopter gunships fired on the village of Al Ghayil, in the Yakla area of Al Bayda governorate, on the night of March 3rd 2017, damaging “at least six houses”. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Late on March 3rd, one local language social media source, @toaiman1992, tweeted that “intensive” US raids had targeted the “homes of Yakla residents”. There were no other known local reports of this strike.

According to Iona Craig of The Intercept, repeated strikes against Al Ghayil at the start of March 2017 caused residents of the village, including Sheikh Aziz al Ameri and his family, to flee the area. As of the publication of The Intercept’s report on March 9th 2017, the family were said to be living under trees several miles from the village.

Al Ghayil was previously the target of a US (and allegedly, Emirati) ground raid on January 29th 2017 which had resulted in the deaths of at least 20 civilians, including eleven children. Reportedly amongst the dead were several relatives of Abdul Ilah al-Dhahab, including his son Nasser; his niece Nawar al-Awlaki; and two of his brothers, alleged AQAP militants Sultan and Abd-al-Ra’uf al-Dhahab. Multiple sources, however, disputed that the latter two were affiliated with AQAP, instead suggesting that they were instead involved with pro-Hadi militia forces.

This reported action took place amid a dramatic intensification of US operations against AQAP. On March 3rd, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davies announced that more than thirty strikes had been conducted since March 2nd in Yemen. On the same day, Associated Press reported that Yemeni officials and residents said that the US had conducted “dozens of airstrikes on al-Qaida targets in Yemen overnight and in the past 48 hours in one of the lengthiest, sustained operations inside this conflict-torn Arab country”.

A US military intelligence source told NBC News that the strikes beginning March 2nd were “part of ‘new directives’ to aggressively pursue the Dhahab and Qayfa clans”.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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)

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the village of Al Ghayil (الغيل‎), for which the coordinates are: 14.592945, 45.038975. 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

Defense Department officials detected and tracked multiple missile launches out of North Korea today, four of which landed in the Sea of Japan, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters this morning.

Davis said the four medium-range ballistic missiles were launched from the northwest corner of North Korea, traveled over the Korean Peninsula and out into the sea, totaling about 1,000 kilometers in distance, or more than 620 miles.

Missiles Land Off Japan’s Coast

The missiles landed in the vicinity of Akita Prefecture off the coast of Japan near that nation’s exclusive economic zone, he said. The EEZ is defined as a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind.

“The North American Aerospace Defense Command detected that the missiles from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America,” Davis said. “This [North Korean missile launch] is very similar in terms of the path and the distance of the three missiles that flew into Japan’s EEZ in September 2016.”

He added, “These launches, which coincide with the start of our annual defensive exercise, Foal Eagle, with the Republic of Korea’s military, are consistent with North Korea’s long history of provocative behavior, often timed to military exercises that we do with our ally,”

The United States stands with its allies “in the face of this very serious threat and are taking steps to enhance our ability to defend against North Korea’s ballistic missiles, such as the deployment of a [Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense] battery to South Korea, which will happen as soon as feasible,” Davis said.

U.S. Strikes AQAP in Yemen

Also overnight, the United States made an airstrike on Yemen’s Abyan Governorate against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula fighters, bringing to 40 the strikes there in the past five nights, Davis said.

Since the first airstrike against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen on Feb. 28, “We will continue to target [al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula] militants and facilities to disrupt the organization’s plot and protect American lives,” the captain said.

The strikes have been coordinated with and done in full partnership with the government of Yemen with the goal of denying al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorists’ freedom of movement within traditional safe havens, Davis emphasized.

The captain also confirmed the deaths of three al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula operatives in March 2 and 3 airstrikes in Yemen.

Usayd al Adani, whom Davis described as a longtime al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula explosives expert and facilitator who served as the organization’s emir, was killed in a U.S. airstrike March 2 within the Abyan Governorate. Killed with him was former Naval Air Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detainee Yasir al Silmi.

Killed March 3 was al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula fighter and communications intermediary for Adani, Harithah al Waqri, Davis said.

“[Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula] has taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct and inspire terror attacks against the United States and our allies,” he said. “And we will continue to work with the government of Yemen to defeat [al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula].

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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)

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM021-C

Incident date

July 5, 2011

Location

جعار, Jaar, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.217814, 45.307025 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Additional Geolocations

13.211636, 45.308129 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians were killed and up to seven others were injured in alleged Yemeni or US airstrikes on Ja’ar on July 5, 2011. Four militants were also reportedly killed.

The numbers of dead and wounded varied, as @NoonArabia tweeted that three civilians were killed and seven people were wounded. According to @AdenLang, the death toll in the bombing rose to six after the death of three of the civilians that were wounded.

An air strike hit the house of Deputy Chairman of Parliament, Ali Al-Shaddadi, in Ja’ar on July 5, 2011 and according to Abdullah Al-Maiseri, two civilians were killed. Abdulkader Al-Guneid (@alguneid) tweeted that two Shaddadi brothers were killed in the strike, while Yusra A @YusraAIA tweeted that Al-Shaddadi’s brother-in-law was killed.

Sahafanet reported that according to the Al-Arabiya correspondent, deputy speaker of the Yemeni parliament Muhammad al-Shaddadi’s home was hit with airstrikes, killing three of his relatives and wounding seven others.

Al-Guneid also stated that the Health Institute building was hit with four people wounded, while Sahafanet stated that the health institute located next to Al-Razi Hospital was struck and led to the killing of four militants affiliated with jihadist Sami Dayan.

Multiple tweets from local sources, including @YusraAlA and @NoonArabia, directly alleged that the US carried out drone strike in Jaar on the same date.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • 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)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jaar (جعار), for which the generic coordinates are: 13.217814, 45.307025. Sources also mention the Al Razi Hospital (مستشفى الرازي), for which the generic coordinates are: 13.211636, 45.308129. 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 harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • 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)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM026-B

Incident date

August 1, 2011

Location

مديرية زنجبار, Al-Khamila, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.128649, 45.339509 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three drone strikes taking place on August 1st 2011, allegedly by US drones or Yemeni airplanes, killed up to 16 suspected Al Qaeda fighters and wounded up to 32 others in various areas of Zinjibar according to military officials. One report stated that the drones were acting in conjunction with the Yemeni government, but the Yemen Interior Minister said all attacks were carried out by the Yemeni army and the United States was not involved. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm.

There were a series of conflicting reports concerning the strike, as Fahd Othman Aljebzi tweeting as @Aljebzi noted that thirteen individuals were killed, which was supported by a tweet from @AdenLang citing a Reuters report. Albawaba.com reported that a military source told Agence France-Presse that Al Qaeda leader Nader al-Shaddadi was among the possible 16 alleged militants. However, al-Shaddadi was reportedly killed on October 18, 2012 in US drone or Yemeni airstrikes (USYEM131-B).

Local sources noted as many as thirty-two people wounded. Yusra A tweeting as @YusraAIA noted that apparently sixteen suspected Al-Qaeda members were killed and another seventeen wounded over the course of three strikes, while Aljazeera reported that Yemeni government airstrikes killed fifteen suspected Al-Qaeda operatives and destroyed a tank controlled by militants.

Multiple sources, including Albawaba, reported that “the raid destroyed an army armored vehicle, truck, personnel carrier and artillery that Al Qaeda militants had seized during the previous battles.”

The Washington Post identified the locations of the three strikes: “The security and local officials said the first strike targeted the al-Wahdah stadium and surrounding areas. They said it destroyed military equipment that the militants seized during a June 30 battle to control the stadium in which dozens of soldiers and militants were killed. They said the second strike hit the al-Amodiah region between Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan taken over by militants in May, and the city of Jaar. The third attack hit the al-Khamilah area, which the militants also use as a hideout.” Reports that Al-Khamleh and Al-Amudiyah were also struck was corroborated by Elaph, Lebanese Forces, and Radio Sawa. None of the sources specify how many militants were killed in each individual strike.

In an article for The Washington Post, Mohammad Al-Qadhi reported that Yemeni local and security officials claimed the strikes stemmed from US Predator drones, yet Reuters reported that Yemeni warplanes conducted at least one of the strikes, on the village of Al Khamila. Bill Roggio, writing for Long War Journal, reported that unmanned US Predator or Reaper drones carried out the strike, but Yemeni Interior Minister denied that claim. Writing in August 2011, Roggio said the US had carried out ten strikes since December of 2009 and four since May of 2011.

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
    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
    13–16
  • Belligerents reported injured
    17–32

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Three different locations are mentioned in reports of this incident. A first strike targeted Al Wahda (Unity) stadium. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to locate Al Wahda stadium. A second strike occurred in Al Amudiya (عمودية) area between Zinjibar and the city of Ja’ar, for which the coordinates are: 13.1351, 45.3635. A third strike took place in Al Khamila village (الخاملة), for which the coordinates are: 13.125000, 45.313889. The coordinates for a mid-point between Al Amudiya and Al Khamila are: 13.128649, 45.339509.

  • Imagery:
    © Google 2019

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
    13–16
  • Belligerents reported injured
    17–32

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM067-B

Incident date

April 23, 2012

Location

لودر, Lawdar, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.88149, 45.868922 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On 23rd April 2012, at 10:30 am, the Yemen army and/or US military allegedly conducted a strike in Loder, Abyan province killing between four to 17 suspected AQAP militants, with some sources attributing the militant deaths to artillery bombardment. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm.

Bikyamasr reported that the strike was carried out by Yemeni forces and some sources speaking to the media house said four militants were killed while others claimed that “at least 17 militants were killed”. Local sources corroborated AFP reporting that a Yemeni fighter plane bombed a vehicle, killing four. Reuters added that two suspected Al Qaeda hideouts were also struck in Loder and that residents saw militants carrying their dead comrades toward the village of Umm Ayn for burial.

Nashwan News identified the strike as being carried out at 10:30 in the morning on “Lasof” mountain, outside the city, killing “dozens” of militants. @AlArab_Qatar tweeted that three Somalis were among the militants killed, attributing their deaths to artillery bombardment.

Many sources identified Yemeni air forces as the perpetrator of the strike. However, one source reported that the Yemen Air Force did not having the capability to carry out this kind of precision strike. Other reports confirmed this saying that the air force “lacks the technical ability to carry out precision strikes on moving vehicles.”

The incident occured at 10:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • 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
    4–17

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that a vehicle was targeted near the town of Lawdar (لودر) in the governorate Abyan (أبين‎). The generic coordinates for the town of Lawdar (لودر) are: 13.88149, 45.868922. 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 and/or Artillery
  • 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
    4–17

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr176

Incident date

July 24, 2018

Location

حضرموت, Hadhramout, Yemen

Geolocation

16.516794, 48.644553 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US airstrike targeted AQAP in Hadhramout governorate on July 24th 2018, according to US Central Command. There were no known associated reports of a strike in Hadhramout on that day.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism noted in its original summary of this event that “US Central Command said it conducted strikes on July 22 and 24, both in Hadramout governorate, in response to a Bureau query on the monthly strike total. No further information was given. We asked for casualty estimates and are still awaiting a response.” There is no known response from Central Command to date.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Hadhramout (حضرموت) governorate, for which the generic coordinates are: 16.516794, 48.644553. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Hadhramout (حضرموت) 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

TAMPA, Fla. –U.S. Central Command has conducted six counterterrorism air strikes targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist network in Yemen in three separate governorates since May 16, bringing the total number of air strikes to 34.



These include air strikes May 25, two airstrikes June 23 and 30, two airstrikes July 22 and 24, and one Aug. 14. These air strikes took place in Shabwah, Hadramawt and Al-Bayda governorates.

A recent United Nations report assessed AQAP leaders recognize Yemen as a hub for external operations.



“AQAP has taken advantage of the conflicts in Yemen, to plot, direct and encourage terror attacks abroad,” said Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a USCENTCOM spokesman. “We will not relent on our pursuit of AQAP terrorists as they remain a significant threat to regional security and stability, and the safety of Americans at home and abroad.”

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr131

Incident date

January 9, 2018

Location

مديرية الصومعة, As Sawma'ah District, Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.166667, 45.831111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three alleged AQAP militants were reportedly killed by a US drone strike in Sama’a directorate, Bayda governorate, on the evening of January 9th 2018. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Several Twitter and local-language news sources reported the strike, including Al-Masdar Online, @demolinari, and Al-Arabi. A tribal leader told Anatolia Agency that the strike targeted a car in the area.

Later, one source, @JoshuaKoontz__, suggested that AQAP militant Akram Al-Adeni may have been killed in the strike, referencing a eulogy published on January 16th.  However, it was later indicated by Twitter user @demolinari that Al-Adeni was been killed in a discrete US drone strike against a motorcycle in the same area on January 16th 2018 (USYEMTr138).

In an email to Long War Journal, a US Central Command later spokesperson confirmed that a US strike targeted AQAP in Bayda on that day. There were no known public reports of other strikes in Bayda on January 9th; as such, this event is treated as declared.

The incident occured in the evening.

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)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • One source, @JoshuaKoontz__, indicated that Akram Al-Adeni may have been killed in the January 9th-10th strike. Two sources, however, indicated that he may have instead died in an later strike on January 16th 2018. (@demolinari, January 17th 2018)

Geolocation notes

Reports on the incident mention the As Sawma’ah District (مديرية الصومعة) for which the generic coordinates are: 14.166667, 45.831111. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

In a major move toward transparency, US Central Command (CENTCOM) provided details to FDD’s Long War Journal on US air strikes against Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen. Since early 2017, the military previously provided little information on the Yemen air campaign, typically providing only an aggregate number and limited detail on high-value target strikes.

In an email to LWJ, CENTCOM’s Major Josh T. Jacques disclosed the dates and locations of the last five months of strikes in Yemen. The information revealed that since the beginning of 2018, the US campaign against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen has focused on three governorates: Hadramout (eight strikes), Al Bayda (17), and Shabwa (three), demonstrating the eastern reach of the terrorist group.

Last year’s publicized strikes were concentrated in the central governorates of Al Bayda and Marib.

Location of US air strikes against AQAP and the Islamic State in 2018:

– Jan. 2018: Ten total strikes. The US conducted 8 strikes against AQAP in Bayda on Jan. 1, 3, 9, 12, 13, 20, 25, and 29. An additional strike against AQAP in Shabwah occurred on Jan. 26. An additional strike against the Islamic State occurred on Jan. 12 in Bayda.

– Feb. 2018: Six total strikes, all in Al Bayda governorate. Strikes occurred on Feb. 7, 11, 12, 16, and 24 (two strikes were conducted on Feb. 24).

– Mar. 2018: Seven total strikes, six of which occurred in Hadramout. Strikes occurred on Mar. 4 (two strikes), 5, 7, 8, and 13. An additional strike in Bayda occurred on March 29. [AQAP’s apparent entrenchment in eastern Yemen is concerning. In addition to the concentration of strikes in Hadramout, CENTCOM previously disclosed that AQAP operated training camps in the governorate as recently as April 2018, when they were targeted by American strikes.]

– Apr. 2018: Four total strikes, one each in Shabwah (April 26) and Al Bayda (April 23), and two in Hadramout (both on April 11).

– May 2018: One strike, in Shabwah on May 14.

– Jun. 2018: No strikes to date.

The US military has stepped up its counterterrorism campaign against al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen as well as the Islamic State since President Trump took office in 2017. Last year, the US launched 131 strikes (125 against AQAP and six against the Islamic State), nearly tripling the previous yearly high of 44 strikes in 2016.

At the current pace, the US will fall far short of that mark; there have been 28 strikes reported by CENTCOM in Yemen in the first five months of 2018.

This counterterrorism campaign has targeted AQAP’s infrastructure, including its training camps and media operations, which serve as a hub for al Qaeda’s global communications. The US has killed several mid-level AQAP leaders and media officials in its air campaign.

Despite suffering setbacks after seizing large areas of southern and central Yemen between 2015-2016, AQAP remains a persistent threat to both the embattled Yemeni government and US interests worldwide. AQAP still controls remote rural areas in Yemen and operates training camps. The group’s master bomb maker, Ibrahim al Asiri, who has engineered several bombs which have evaded airport security, remains one of the most wanted jihadists on the planet.

Note: This article was updated to include the dates and locations of Jan. 2018 strikes.

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)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr028

Incident date

March 3, 2017

Location

موجان, Mojan, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.425116, 46.171369 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Some sources suggested that US naval artillery and possibly airstrikes targeted the Mojan and Mudiyah areas of Abyan governorate early on the morning of March 3rd.  There were no known reports of civilian harm.

According to Xinhua, an anonymous Yemeni military official reported that a “heavy navy bombardment” had taken place in the morning, alongside airstrikes. One Twitter source also reported US naval action in the area.

A number of news agencies reported that, according to Reuters, US ground forces clashed with AQAP militants in the Mojan area of Abyan governorate, alongside reported air strikes, on the morning of March 3rd – though this was edited out of Reuters’ report hours after posting. As only Reuters reported ground clashes on Friday 3rd March in Mojan, and appeared to later retract this, it is likely that this report refers instead to an earlier alleged US ground action at dawn on March 2nd, detailed in the USYEMTr015 and USYEMTr016 entries.

This event took place amid a dramatic intensification of US operations against AQAP in March 2017. On March 3rd, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davies announced that more than thirty strikes had been conducted since March 2nd in Yemen. On the same day, Associated Press reported that Yemeni officials and residents said that the US had conducted “dozens of airstrikes on al-Qaida targets in Yemen overnight and in the past 48 hours in one of the lengthiest, sustained operations inside this conflict-torn Arab country”.

A US military intelligence source told NBC News that the strikes beginning March 2nd were “part of ‘new directives’ to aggressively pursue the Dhahab and Qayfa clans”.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Naval bombardment
  • 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)

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mojan (موجان), for which the coordinates are: 13.425116, 46.171369. 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 precision strikes today in Yemen against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula to target the dangerous terrorist group that is intent on attacking the West, a Pentagon spokesman said.

With today's actions, the United States has carried out more than 30 strikes in Yemen since yesterday against the terrorist group, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters.

"These counterterrorism strikes were conducted in partnership with the government of Yemen," Davis said, adding, "U.S. forces will continue to target [al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula] militants and facilities in order to disrupt the terrorist organization's plots and ultimately to protect American lives."

The results of the strikes are still being assessed, Davis said.

Aimed At Degrading Terrorist Capabilities

The aim of the strikes is to keep the pressure on the terrorists and deny them access and freedom of movement within traditional safe havens, Davis said. "They've taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct and inspire terrorist attacks against the United States," he added. "We'll continue to work with the government of Yemen and our partners on the ground to defeat [the organization] and deny it the ability to operate."

The actions since have targeted militants, equipment and infrastructure in the governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah and will degrade the terrorist group's ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit its ability to use territory seized from Yemen’s legitimate government as a safe space for terror plotting, the captain said.

U.S. forces have not been involved in or near any firefights in Yemen since late January, Davis said. In that January operation, Navy Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens was killed and three other U.S. service members were wounded.

Extremely Dangerous al-Qaida Affiliate

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula remains an extremely dangerous al-Qaida affiliate, and is taking advantage of the chaos in the country from the civil war there, Davis said, noting that the organization “has more American blood on its hands" than the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria does.

Davis said al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is a "deadly terrorist organization that has proven itself to be very effective in targeting and killing Americans, and they have intent and aspirations to continue doing so."

The organization is integral to al-Qaida and remains intent on attacking Western targets, specifically the United States, a defense official said, speaking on background.

Total group strength in Yemen is in the "low thousands," the official said, adding that it remains a local and regional threat and directly contributes to the instability inside Yemen.

"This is a dangerous group locally, regionally and transnationally, to include against the United States, the West and our allies," the official said.

The terrorists have "skillfully exploited the disorder in Yemen to build its strength and reinvigorate its membership and training," the official said, noting that because members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula tend to be from Yemen, they can blend in with the tribes there.

There have been notable successes against the group, the official said, including killing some of its key leaders.

Iraq Update

In other news, Davis updated reporters on progress in Iraq in liberating western Mosul from ISIS. Iraqi forces have cut across Highway 1, effectively isolating Mosul from the Syrian city of Raqqa, he said. Some areas in the north are still ISIS-controlled, he said, so Mosul is not completely severed from Raqqa.

"But in terms of having a road, that road is now cut," he said.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Naval bombardment
  • 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)

Sources (9) [ collapse]