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
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Strike Status
Strike Type
Infrastructure

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

USYEM113-B

Incident date

July 23, 2012

Location

المحفد, Mahfad, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

14.060462, 46.914385 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the night of July 23rd 2012 around 11pm, alleged US or Yemeni warplanes launched two strikes against two supposed Al Qaeda hideouts in the al-Mahfad district in the south of the Abyan Province; five alleged Al Qaeda militants were killed in these strikes according to the Associated Press. Local twitter users and a local news source Mareb Press reported that the strikes hit areas that local Bedouin communities use for their animals to graze without specifying if there were any civilian casualties.

Suhail News tweeted: “News about the damage to Bedouin gatherings in the area: Warplanes launch air strikes on al-Qaeda sites in the Al-Mahfad district in Abyan”. A twitter user under the handle nasserbasser tweeted that:  “Air strikes in Al-Mahfad target citizens’ livestock instead of (Al Qaeda) members”. Mareb Press reported in an article that local sources informed them that warplanes bombed a “narrow” area in Mahfad where Al Qaeda militants had taken refuge after leaving the cities of the Abyan and Shabwa governorates. Militants announced their presence in al Mahfad after their withdrawal from the cities months ago. Mareb Press reported that their local sources believe some missiles may have fallen on some of the Bedouin communities who use the area for grazing.

Associated Press reported that Yemeni warplanes killed at least 5 Al Qaeda militants in overnight strikes on Al Qaeda hideouts in southern Abyan Province, according to a local security official. They also reported this official as saying that the attacks late on Monday, the 23rd July 2012, were concentrated in the al-Mahfad district where militants had retreated to after being driven out from their strongholds in the city of Zinjibar and the nearby town of Jaar, both of which the army recaptured from militants two months ago.

The area is said to be the last geographic stronghold of AQAP and Ansar al-Sharia, and Associated Press reported Yemeni media as saying that “the militants were consolidating their positions in al-Mahfad, quoting witnesses who said they saw military hardware headed to the area in in trucks.”

Although the attacks were attributed to the Yemen Air Force it is known not to have the technical capability to carry out such strikes. US aircraft and armed drones may therefore have been responsible.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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
    5

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Mahfad (المحفد), for which the generic coordinates are: 14.060462, 46.914385. 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 infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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
    5

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr124-C

Incident date

December 14–15, 2017

Location

يكلا‎, Yakla, Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

At least two women, and possibly two children, all from the same family, were reportedly killed by a US drone strike on a house in Yakla, in the Wald Rabi area of Bayda governorate, on the evening of December 15th 2017.

Mwatana later named the two women victims as “Hajera Ahmed Saleh Al Taisi, about 33 years old, and Dhabia Ahmad Al Taisi, about 63 years old. Hajera was pregnant at the time of her death.”

On January 10th 2018, a US Central Command statement confirmed that a strike took place in Bayda on December 15th, and indicated that it had resulted in the death of AQAP “external operations facilitator” Miqdad al-Sana’ani. It made no mention of civilian harm.

Two sources, Yemen Shabab and @marib_alward, stated that at least two women were killed, and other civilians injured, in the attack. As the former noted [translation]: “Private local sources told Yemen Shabab Net, that at least two women were killed about half an hour previous to now, in an American drone airstrike in the area of ​​Yakla, in the Directorate of Ould Rabee, affiliated to Qayfah, in Al Bayda Governorate. The sources confirmed that the raid targeted a house inhabited by two civilians in the area, which resulted in the death of two women and the injury of others, whose identity and number have not been known until now.”

Reprieve shared their findings on this event with Airwars, suggesting that two women were killed alongside a male doctor affiliated with AQAP. Reprieve suggested that this doctor was potentially Miqdad al-Sana’ani.

Other local-language Twitter sources, including @SUHFNET and @ataqpress, reported that a family of three women and two children were killed.

Bar Reprieve, no known sources corroborated CENTCOM’s claim that Miqdad al-Sana’ani, an alleged militant, was killed in the strike. However several sources mentioned that the identity of some victims was unknown. Since there were no other known reports of a US strike on December 15th, this event is treated as declared.

In its May 2018 annual civilian casualty report, the US Department of Defense stated that “there were credible reports of civilian casualties caused by U.S. military actions in Yemen against AQAP and ISIS during 2017”, but did not specify which specific actions these reports referred to.  Overall, the Department of Defense assessed that there were credible reports of “approximately 499 civilians killed and approximately 169 civilians injured during 2017”, as a result of US military actions in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen.

Responding to Airwars’ publication of its Yemen dataset and accompanying report in October 2020, CENTCOM dismissed all but two civilian harm claims under President Trump, asserting that “USCENTCOM conducted a thorough review of the information AirWars provided regarding allegations of potential civilian harm caused by USCENTCOM strikes in Yemen from 2017-2020… The bulk of the information asserted by AirWars, however, did not correspond with dates and locations of U.S. military strikes or raids in Yemen.   Other AirWars allegations either did not allege civilian harm or were not assessed as credible upon our review.”

In its March 2021 report, Death Falling From The Sky, the Yemeni human rights group said that two named women had died in the attack – one of them pregnant. According to the report, “On the day of the strike, Dhabia was visiting Hajera’s home, about 90 meters from Dhabia’s own small house. At about 6:00 p.m., as Dhabia was leaving the house, the strike occurred. The strike hit right next to the entrance of the house, killing Dhabia, who was standing by the door. Hajera was in her kitchen. She was hit by shrapnel in the neck, which ripped through her back. The surrounding homes suffered varying degrees of damage from the strike.”

The report went on to note: “After the strike, people rushed to the house to help. Dhabia’s son, about 35 years old, was in his house nearby and rushed to the site. His mother was dead. He tried to gather her remains. Hajera’s husband, who was in another part of the house at the time of the strike, also rushed to help, discovering his wife gravely wounded. He tried to move Hajera to the hospital, but she died on the way. Her young son, about nine-years-old, was with her. Her husband told Mwatana, ‘My wife was expecting a child; the shrapnel killed her and her fetus … Today, the drone hit us. The life of people and their movements are almost paralyzed by fear.’”

The incident occured at approximately 7:45 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hajera Ahmed Saleh Al Taisi
33 years old female pregnant killed
Dhabia Ahmad Al Taisi
63 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (0–2 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Yakla (يكلا‎), 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
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

US Forces
  • Nov 5, 2020
  • Via email: U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) continues to focus on ways to minimize civilian casualties during its military operations. We assess or review all reports of civilian casualties because such assessments or reviews help us identify ways to improve our operations and counter misinformation and propaganda. We routinely share the results of every one of our assessments in Department of Defense (DoD) reports to Congress, including annual reports, many of which are publicly available. We also share the results of our assessments or reviews with the public via the USCENTCOM website and our statements to the media. Individuals wishing to understand U.S. military operations in Yemen more fully should consult these official sources of information. USCENTCOM conducted a thorough review of the information AirWars provided regarding allegations of potential civilian harm caused by USCENTCOM strikes in Yemen from 2017-2020. Of the information AirWars provided, one strike on September 14, 2017, was assessed to have caused injuries to two civilians. Also, as previously released by USCENTCOM to the public in February 2017, USCENTCOM acknowledged there may have been civilian casualties during a raid on January 29, 2017. The bulk of the information asserted by AirWars, however, did not correspond with dates and locations of U.S. military strikes or raids in Yemen. Other AirWars allegations either did not allege civilian harm or were not assessed as credible upon our review. Consistent with our mission, our authorities, and our obligations under the law of war, USCENTCOM will continue to conduct military actions in Yemen when required to protect the Nation and our allies and partners from al Qa’ida and ISIS terror cells that are committed to inflicting terror. In every strike and raid, we take careful measures to minimize civilian harm and take responsibility for our actions. When our military operations result in reports of civilian harm, we will continue to assess the credibility of such reports to help us identify ways to improve our operations and respond as appropriate.

Original strike reports

US Forces

U.S. air strikes kill senior AQAP militants
TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. air strikes in Yemen recently resulted in the death of key Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leaders.

U.S. forces continue sustained counterterrorism operations in Yemen against AQAP and ISIS, in coordination with the Government of Yemen, to degrade these groups’ ability to hold territory and coordinate external attacks.

External operations facilitator Miqdad al Sana’ani was killed in an air strike Dec. 15 in al-Bayda governorate.

Habib al-Sana’ani, AQAP deputy arms facilitator, who was an intermediary with ties to senior AQAP leadership and was responsible for facilitating the movement of weapons, explosives and finances into northern Marib and al-Bayda governorates, was killed in an airstrike Dec. 19 in Marib governorate.

Abu Umar al-Sana’ani, an AQAP Dawah committee member, was killed in an air strike Nov. 20 in al-Bayda governorate.
-30-

Follow CENTCOM on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (0–2 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr025-C

Incident date

March 2–3, 2017

Location

وادي يشبم, Yashbum Valley, Shabwa, Yemen

Geolocation

14.304795, 46.934570 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several sources reported that US airstrikes and ground forces targeted AQAP militants, including alleged leader Saad Atef, in the Yashbum Valley of al-Saeed district in Shabwa province, overnight from March 2nd-3rd 2017, following airstrikes in the same area early on March 2nd. There were multiple allegations of civilian harm as a result of heavy munitions strikes and small arms fire between AQAP and US forces, including up to fourteen civilian fatalities.

Multiple sources alleged that civilians had been killed and injured in the course of the US operation. According to Al Jazeera, Xinhua and other sources, civilian homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed, and a number of civilians, including women and children, were wounded.  Sputnik News alleged that US activities had “resulted in the death and injury of civilians, including women and children”. Local sources indicated to al-Mayadeen that the strikes and fighting resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children. The BBC also reported that casualties of the operation included children.

One local language Facebook source reported that six people had been killed from the Atef family – presumably the family of Saad Atef, though it was unclear how many of this number were civilians.  Another reported that three houses of the Atef family had been burned “with women and children” inside.

Meanwhile, other local language sources reported that six civilians, including women and children, were “martyred from the family of Belaid al-Salmi”, and that there were further victims in “the house of Idat Shams”.  Local language Facebook sources also mentioned that family members of Belaid al-Salmi had been killed.

It is unclear whether all of those mentioned were civilians. To reflect this uncertainty, the minimum numbers of civilian deaths is presently set at ten.  Maximum civilian deaths is set at fourteen, to account for twelve possible victims from the Atef and al-Salmi families, as well as at least two others in the house of Idat Shams.

Assessments of combatant casualties also varied. Al-Jazeera reported that seven “suspected al-Qaeda members were killed” in the course of US strikes in the area from March 2nd-3rd.  AFP reported that eight had been killed, while local language sources, one quoting “local medics”, said that nine had been killed in exchanges of fire between US ground forces and AQAP militants. On March 3rd, Xinhua reported that “more than eleven” had been killed in the course of the firefight.

According to multiple sources, between ten and thirty US airstrikes hit the Yashbum Valley from late on March 2nd until dawn on March 3rd, with sources quoting different specific numbers of airstrikes at different times. One source claimed that continuous heavy bombing had begun at midday on March 2nd, though most reports indicated that the bulk of the strikes took place in the evening.

Multiple sources, including Al Araby, alleged that the principal target of the strikes was Saad Atef al-Ateeqi al-Awlaki, a senior AQAP leader in Shabwa, as well as known gathering places of AQAP militants. According to Akhbar al-Youm, Saad Atef had survived a previous US air strike that targeted him early on March 2nd; it was unclear whether he was killed in the March 2nd – 3rd strike.

Local residents told Almasdar Online that the overnight airstrikes “destroyed three houses, a block factory, a gas station, and a weapons depot”; on March 3rd al-Jazeera reported the same list of targets in the al-Shu’bah area of the Yashbam Valley.  It is possible that this also reflects damage caused by an earlier strike at dawn on March 2nd (USYEMTr012-C).  According to AFP, one of the destroyed houses belonged to Saad Atef, and local AQAP militants returned anti-aircraft fire throughout.  Reports indicated that both US helicopter gunships and drones were involved in the strike.  A nearby house in Idat Shams was also allegedly destroyed.

Airstrikes were reportedly accompanied, at around midnight, by the landing of US forces, potentially Navy SEALs, in Wadi Yashbum.  According to Sputnik News, a “local source” alleged that US special forces clashed with AQAP militants for half an hour.  Reuters also reported that a half-hour clash had taken place, based on reports from local residents, while AFP said that US forces “backed by drones and Apache helicopters… fought al-Qaeda militants for nearly an hour” before withdrawing.  One source said that US helicopters had struggled to land troops in the mountainous terrain, and some indicated that AQAP had claimed to have downed a US helicopter in the course of the firefight.

Speaking with Middle East Eye, an anonymous local source said that “the strikes affected the peace and tranquility of the civilians in the village, especially women and children. Civilians are still shaken up as a result of the events.  A number of civilians have been displaced as a result of the assault. Many escaped Shabwah out of fear for their lives”. Multiple reports suggested that many families had fled from the area due to the strikes; a local source told Akhbar Al-Janoubia that dozens of families had fled.  One Facebook user, Ween Al Enfigar Alaan, indicated that people were displaced from some neighbouring villages in “severe terror”. Al-Mayadeen reported that many fled to nearby Ateq.  According to Akhbar al-Youm, one resident described it as a “terrible night”.  Akhbar al Janoubia reported on Facebook that residents said “we don’t know the number of dead of some of the families of the people of Atef, and there are wounded in the valley waiting for their transportation to hospital”.

Reuters reported that, though the Pentagon confirmed that a number of airstrikes had taken place on Friday, spokesperson Captain Jeff Davis denied that US ground forces had been involved, telling reporters “I know there have been reports of firefights, raids, there have not been any that US forces have been involved in [on Friday]”.

This strike allegedly took place amid the 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 March 3rd, the 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”.

In its May 2018 annual civilian casualty report, the US Department of Defense stated that “there were credible reports of civilian casualties caused by U.S. military actions in Yemen against AQAP and ISIS during 2017”, but did not specify which specific actions these reports referred to.  Overall, the Department of Defense assessed that there were credible reports of “approximately 499 civilians killed and approximately 169 civilians injured during 2017”, as a result of US military actions in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen.

Responding to Airwars’ publication of its Yemen dataset and accompanying report in October 2020, CENTCOM dismissed all but two civilian harm claims under President Trump, asserting that “USCENTCOM conducted a thorough review of the information AirWars provided regarding allegations of potential civilian harm caused by USCENTCOM strikes in Yemen from 2017-2020… The bulk of the information asserted by AirWars, however, did not correspond with dates and locations of U.S. military strikes or raids in Yemen.   Other AirWars allegations either did not allege civilian harm or were not assessed as credible upon our review.”

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 14
  • (4 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    7–11

Sources (62) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • One social-media source posted this picture, seemingly an alleged image of strikes in Wadi Yashbum (@saqr_220, March 2nd 2017)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Wadi Yashbum (وادي يشبم), for which the coordinates are: 14.304795, 46.934570. 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
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

US Forces
  • Nov 5, 2020
  • Via email: U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) continues to focus on ways to minimize civilian casualties during its military operations. We assess or review all reports of civilian casualties because such assessments or reviews help us identify ways to improve our operations and counter misinformation and propaganda. We routinely share the results of every one of our assessments in Department of Defense (DoD) reports to Congress, including annual reports, many of which are publicly available. We also share the results of our assessments or reviews with the public via the USCENTCOM website and our statements to the media. Individuals wishing to understand U.S. military operations in Yemen more fully should consult these official sources of information. USCENTCOM conducted a thorough review of the information AirWars provided regarding allegations of potential civilian harm caused by USCENTCOM strikes in Yemen from 2017-2020. Of the information AirWars provided, one strike on September 14, 2017, was assessed to have caused injuries to two civilians. Also, as previously released by USCENTCOM to the public in February 2017, USCENTCOM acknowledged there may have been civilian casualties during a raid on January 29, 2017. The bulk of the information asserted by AirWars, however, did not correspond with dates and locations of U.S. military strikes or raids in Yemen. Other AirWars allegations either did not allege civilian harm or were not assessed as credible upon our review. Consistent with our mission, our authorities, and our obligations under the law of war, USCENTCOM will continue to conduct military actions in Yemen when required to protect the Nation and our allies and partners from al Qa’ida and ISIS terror cells that are committed to inflicting terror. In every strike and raid, we take careful measures to minimize civilian harm and take responsibility for our actions. When our military operations result in reports of civilian harm, we will continue to assess the credibility of such reports to help us identify ways to improve our operations and respond as appropriate.

Original strike reports

US Forces

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, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 14
  • (4 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    7–11

Sources (62) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM013-N

Incident date

May 15–June 15, 2011

Location

أَبْيَن , Abyan province, Abyan , Yemen

Airwars assessment

An anonymous Yemen defence ministry official claimed that a significant number of US drone strikes had taken place between mid-May and mid-June 2011. Strikes began in Shabwa province from May 3 onwards. According to The National, 15 US strikes took place between June 1 and June 15, including one on June 11 in which there were no casualties. Abdullah Laqman, deputy governor of Abyan province, told the publication: ‘These are the lives of innocent people being killed. At least 130 people have been killed in the last two week by US drones.’

Airwars coded the location of these strikes as Abyan province, as the only source available, The National, quoted a source stating that 80% of the strikes concerned were in Abyan province, without further precision.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • 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)

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • 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)

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM041-C

Incident date

October 14, 2011

Location

عزان, Azzan, Shabwa, Yemen

Geolocation

14.326170, 47.445905 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A series of up to six confirmed US drone and/or airstrikes across Azzan killed up to 24 people, including two children, on October 14, 2011. The others killed were reportedly Al Qaeda militants.

In the first of several attacks on this day, a drone attack struck a house in the Azan district of Shabwa, targeting the Egyptian-born AQAP Yemen media chief Ibrahim al-Bana, but the occupants of the house had left two minutes earlier, according to local tribal elders. There were no casualties reported from this incident.

A second drone attack then struck either a vehicle or a restaurant area. PBS Frontline later filmed at the scene of the attack, the footage showing the ruined foundations of a small building along with a nearby crater. Abdel-Rahman Anwar al Awlaki, the 16-year old son of al Awlaki, had been killed in the strike.

A statement from Abdel-Rahman’s family read, “he left with some friends for dinner under the moonlight when an American missile landed, killing Abdel-Rahman and his friends”. In a separate statement, the family said:  “On October 14th, 2011 Abdulrahman, along with some of his tribe’s youth have gone barbecuing under the moonlight. A drone missile hit their congregation killing Abdulrahman and several other teenagers.” A second teenager and family member, Ahmed Abdel Rahman al Awlaki, 17, is known to have been killed in the strike. Five to seven others were also killed, including Sarhan al Qusa (aka Farhan al Quso) brother of AQAP leader Fahd al-Qusa or Quso, according to a member of Awlaki’s tribe. Reuters later claimed that the dead men were planning to renounce Al Qaeda before they were killed. Elders claimed that four other Awlaki tribal members died in the strike.

Also initially reported killed was militant Ibrahim al Bana. However, two weeks after the strike, AQAP released leaflets stating that he had not been killed. Ansar al Sharia also reported in its second October newsletter that al Bana’s death was “a lie”. He was confirmed to be alive by the US State Department on January 5 2016 when it announced that al Bana had been designated “a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order (E.O) 13224” and a reward of $5 million was offered for information leading to his killing or captured.

The New York Times detailed that the airstrikes were allegedly conducted by American drones and were responsible for the deaths of at nine individuals, including Al-Banna as well as the seventeen-year-old son of Anwar Al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni cleric who was killed roughly a month before the airstrike that killed his son. The elder Awlaki was an American citizen and his death raised significant legal questions about the use of American drones to kill American citizens without a trial. CNN did not confirm if Awlaki’s son, named Abdul Rahman Anwar Awlaki, was among those killed in the strike, but on October 15th, Haaretz.com confirmed that Al-Awlaki’s son had indeed been killed. This story was corroborated by Taiwan News, but the younger Awlaki’s age was listed as twenty-one. There were varying numbers of those killed in the strike, with Pressit.com listing seven dead but Haaretz stating that nine were killed. While the number of dead was in contention, there was universal acceptance that the strike, which also struck a mosque injuring many, were American-made drones.

Longwarjournal.org published a disturbing story that claimed that Al-Awlaki’s son hoped to become a martyr like his father, making such a statement just hours before his death. The boy, also listed as young as sixteen years old in the LA Times, was killed with at least six other individuals in an airstrike conducted by American drones in Yemen. According to a Reuters articles published on October 18th, the death toll of the strike had reached twenty-four people. Time magazine published a piece in late October criticizing the Obama administration’s tactics in Yemen, questioning whether the death of young Al-Awlaki was merely “paying for the sins of his father?” When questioned about the drone strike that killed a reported teenager, one senior advisor to President Obama stated, “he should have had a more responsible father.”

The Washington Post reported that it was JSOC rather than the CIA which carried out the attack: “When pressed on why the CIA had not pulled the trigger, US officials said it was because the main target…an Egyptian named Ibrahim al-Banna, was not on the agency’s kill list. The Awaki teenager, a US citizen with no history of involvement with al Qaeda, was an unintended casualty. In interviews, senior US officials acknowledged that the two kill lists don’t match, but offered conflicting explanations as to why.”

In April 2012 the Toronto Star featured an interview with Nasser al-Awalaki, grandfather of Abdel-Rahman and former Yemen government minister. In it he said that former Yemen President Saleh had sent him a message insisting that he had had no role in his grandson’s death: “Tell Dr. Nasser I swear to God that I have nothing to do with the killing of his son.” Nasser al-Awlaki also said he would be taking legal action: “I am only a university professor and I’m not the kind of guy who would enlist tribal people. My only chance now is to go to court and I hope as far as Abdulrahman at least, they will be fair to us. They cannot claim he’s collateral damage.”

In April 2013 Jeremy Scahill added further controversy to the attack, reporting: “A former senior official in the Obama administration told me that after Abdulrahman’s killing, the president was “surprised and upset and wanted an explanation.” The former official, who worked on the targeted killing program, said that according to intelligence and Special Operations officials, the target of the strike was al-Banna, the AQAP propagandist. “We had no idea the kid was there. We were told al-Banna was alone,” the former official told me. Once it became clear that the teenager had been killed, he added, military and intelligence officials asserted, “It was a mistake, a bad mistake.” However, John Brennan, at the time President Obama’s senior adviser on counterterrorism and homeland security, “suspected that the kid had been killed intentionally and ordered a review. I don’t know what happened with the review.”‘

And in May 2013 US Attorney-General Eric Holder told US lawmakers Abdulrahman was “not specifically targeted by the United States”. In a letter, Holder explained Anwar al Awlaki was a legitimate target and that “[US] citizenship alone does not make such individuals immune from being targeted”. He said three other US citizens, including Abdulrahman, had been killed by US drones during Obama’s presidency.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmed Abdel Rahman al Awlaki
17 years old male killed
Abdulrahman al-Awlaki
16 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–22

Sources (60) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Abdulrahman al-Awlaki (left), killed in strikes carried out by the US on October 14, 2011, killed just a few weeks after his father, Anwar al-Awlaki (right) was killed. (Image posted by Independent)
  • Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, killed in strikes carried out by the US on October 14, 2011, killed just a few weeks after his father, Anwar al-Awlaki was killed. (Image posted by Esquire)
  • Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, killed in strikes carried out by the US on October 14, 2011, killed just a few weeks after his father, Anwar al-Awlaki was killed. (Image posted by The Intercept)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Azzan (عزان), for which the generic coordinates are: 14.326170, 47.445905. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

The Washington Post reported that it was JSOC rather than the CIA which carried out the attack: "When pressed on why the CIA had not pulled the trigger, US officials said it was because the main target…an Egyptian named Ibrahim al-Banna, was not on the agency’s kill list.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–22

Sources (60) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM079-B

Incident date

May 14, 2012

Location

شُقرة‎, Shaqra, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.356639, 45.699426 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged US or Yemeni airstrike, naval bombardment, or drone strike killed 10 militants in an Al Qaeda hideout 70 kilometers away from Zinjibar in Shaqra, a southern town in the province of Abyan. There are currently no reports of civilian harm.

The Associated Press reported Yemeni warplanes bombed an Al Qaeda hideout 70km from Zinjibar, killing at least 10 militants, and that this is one of multiple strikes that occurred on the same day, allegedly killing a total of 16 militants stated in this incident and USYEM080-B. The Defense Ministry corroborated this total death toll on their website 26Sep.net. AFP reports that two of the alleged militants killed were from Saudi Arabia and one was Egyptian.

Due to the telephone lines being cut, AFP could not verify the death toll.

American drones have been involved in the campaign against Al Qaeda making it unclear whether the strike was carried out by Yemen or the US. Agence France-Press noted that the strikes against militants were undertaken with “U.S. logistical support”. Aden al-Ghad reported that US drones and missiles were launched in the area of Abyan from warships against prominent Al Qaeda leaders, specifying that a “one of the rockets landed at a checkpoint of the armed groups located at the top of Jabal Al-Arqoub, but there was no information about casualties”, although it is unclear if that references any of the incidents Airwars tracked on this day. It is therefore unclear whether the attack was an airstrike, naval bombardment or a drone strike.

A militant leader named al-Muhajir was named as one of the militants killed later on but it is unclear whether he perished in this incident or in USYEM080-B.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    10

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Shaqra (شُقرة‎) in the province of Abyan (أبين‎). Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for the town of Shaqra (شُقرة‎) are: 13.356639, 45.699426.

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, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    10

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM130-B

Incident date

October 4, 2012

Location

السدية, Sadiya, Shabwa, Yemen

Geolocation

14.3833330, 46.9000000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the 4th of October 2012, a suspected US drone strike hit and killed up to six Ansar al-Sharia militants and injured up to four others in the desert region of al-Saeed in the southern Yemeni province of Shabwa. According to security sources reporting to Akhbar al-Youm, the strike took place at roughly eleven o’clock in the morning. Even though it cannot be ruled out, there are no reports of civilian harm.

Confusion exists concerning the number of dead and the circumstances around the strike. First an unnamed tribal leader reported to Akhbaar24 that “The initial outcome of the raid is five dead supporters of Al-Sharia.” Multiple other news sources, such as the Huffington Post and English Ahram, also reported that five militants died as a consequence of the strike. The Huffington Post gained their insight from a Yemeni security official who claimed the strike was American and that all those who died were located in the one car. The official was unaware of whether there were any casualties or injuries in the second car. Barakish Net, on the other hand, reported that a local source had told them that only three had been killed and that an unknown number of additional people had been injured. Akhbar al-Youm provided the highest report of casualties quoting security sources which claimed that six had died. What the different sources seem to have in common though is that they believe that it was an American drone that conducted the strike. The US, however, has not commented on the strike.

The circumstances of the strike are also unclear. Akhbaar24 reported that local residents had told AFP that the strike was conducted by a drone which fired four missiles hitting two cars carrying the Ansar al-Sharia members. However, Barakish Net reported that there were not only four missiles that were fired but in fact five. In the aftermath of the strike one of the local residents reported that “The cars were burning, and we could not approach them because the drone was still in the air.” According to 26 September, a local source had stated the dead bodies were later transported to Yeshbam and buried there. In addition, a tribal leader reported that four Al Qaeda vehicles were sent to the area after the strike and that they “set up a checkpoint on the road linking Saeed and Ataq”.

Furthermore, the location of the strike is also under dispute. Al Jazeera reported that witnesses said the two cars were travelling through the town of Saeed in Shabwa. However, Reuters reported that a security official claimed that the strike took place in the remote area of Maqbala which is also in the Shabwa province. CNN, who are citing two local security officials, claim, on the other hand, that the strikes were split between two locations. The first strike, which they claim killed three, took place in the al-Saeed district whilst two other strikes took place not far away in the Aal Mahdi district killing two. Images from the aftermath of the strike suggest that at least one of the strikes took place on a plain.

Concerning the identity of the militants who were killed, Yemen Post quoted a local official who stated that one of them was an Egyptian national and that one of the others was a leader of Al Qaeda in the Azzan Area. Multiple sources, such as 26 September Net and Barakish Net, confirm that one of the killed was an Egyptian. Akhbar al-Youm was able to add further detail to the identity of those killed, stating that one of the killed was Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki who is likely the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Azzan area which the other sources seem to have been referring to. Akhbar al-Youm reported however that information concerning the death of al-Awlaki is conflicting due to communication from the region being interrupted in the aftermath of the strike. Furthermore, more recent reports suggest that al-Awlaki may still be alive. France24 reports that al-Awlaki was one of the contenders to take over the leadership of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula after the death of Qassim al-Rimi in 2020.

Akhbar al-Youm was also able to add that one of the others who seemed to have died from the strike is Abu Hajar al-Barasi. Al-Barasi was apparently the assistant of al-Habashi who was in charge of the militants located in Qarn al-Sawda. This knowledge they gained from the same security source who claimed that al-Awlaki had died. So far it does not seem like any other sources can confirm the death of al-Barasi.

Aside from al-Awlaki and al-Habashi, multiple news sources state that Sheikh Al-Abab (35) and Musab al-Masri, who are both prominent figures in Ansar al-Sharia, were also killed in the strike. Yemenat reports that the news outlet Al-Ghad had received exclusive statements from individuals close to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula who said that al-Masri, who was an Egyptian national high up in the organisation, had been killed immediately by the first strike that hit the vehicle. Al-Masri was apparently a prominent figure who had been given a 21 year prison sentence in Egypt but then he was able to escape during the revolution and join Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Al-Abab, was on the other hand, according to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, the fourth highest ranked in the Al-Jihad based in the Arabian Peninsula. The news outlet quoted a private source who stated that Al-Abab and an aide “were martyred in the American raid that was carried out by an unmanned plane in the Upper Egypt district of Shabwa governorate a few days ago.” According to Yemenat, unlike al-Masri, Al-Abab was not killed by the first strike. He was instead able to escape from the area after the strike. As people rushed to the scene, Al-Abab escaped by foot and managed to get several kilometres away. However, Al-Ghad’s source, which Yemenat were referring to, had stated that the drone tracked down Al-Abab shortly after and fired another missile. Al-Abab was apparently killed by a piece of shrapnel which hit him as a result of this strike. According to a government source reporting to NZWeek, Al-Abab was seriously injured by the strike but did not die immediately. He was first transported to a local medical centre but then later succumbed to his injuries.

The incident occured at 11:00:00 local time.

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
    3–6
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2–4

Sources (38) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the villages of Al Hqail (الحقيل), Sadiya (السدية) and Baras/Pars (بارس) in the Said (مديرية الصعيد) district of Shabwa governorate. Airwars was unable to locate Al Hqail and Baras areas, however, the coordinates for the area of Sadiya (السدية), just north of the town of Said, are: 14.3833330, 46.9000000. The image published of the damaged vehicles suggests that the strike took place in a flat area rather than in the surrounding mountains. 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

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
    3–6
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2–4

Sources (38) [ collapse]