Incident Code
USYEM274
Incident Date
4 September 2016
Location
Shabwa, Yemen
Airwars Assessment
Last Updated: May 7, 2026
(Previous Incident Code: YEM242 )
At least six people were killed in a US strike in Shabwah, according to a US Centcom press release on September 6th. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm.
Other sources put the combatant death toll as high as nine.
It was not immediately clear if this was the same attack as international media reported hitting central Yemen on September 4th.
Local residents and unnamed security officials told reporters an attack hit either a house or apartment block. However they said the strike hit in Marib, not Shabwah.
CENTCOM reported: “A strike on Sept. 4 killed six al-Qa’ida operatives and injured one.”
Military Statements
U.S. Forces Assessment
Known belligerent
U.S. Forces
U.S. Forces position on incident
Not yet assessed
U.S. Forces Strike Report
September 6, 2016
Release Number 20160906-25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla. — The U.S. military conducted three counterterrorism strikes against al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula in the Shabwah Governorate in central Yemen.
A strike on Aug. 24 killed four al-Qa’ida operatives, a strike on Aug. 30 killed three al-Qa’ida operatives, and a strike on Sept. 4 killed six al-Qa’ida operatives and injured one.
Strikes against al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen put consistent pressure on the terrorist network and prevent them from plotting and executing attacks against U.S. persons, our homeland and allies.
AQAP remains a significant threat to the region, the United States and beyond. Al-Qa’ida’s presence has a destabilizing effect on Yemen; it is using the unrest in Yemen to provide a haven from which to plan future attacks against our allies as well as the U.S. and its interests.
The U.S. will not relent in its mission to degrade, disrupt and destroy al-Qa’ida and its remnants. We remain committed to defeating AQAP and denying it safe haven regardless of its location. Strikes conducted by the U.S. in Yemen continue to diminish AQAP’s presence in the region.