Incident Code
USYEM283
Incident Date
21 October 2016
Location
Ma'rib, Yemen
Airwars Assessment
Last Updated: May 7, 2026
(Previous Incident Code: YEM251 )
The US announced in a press release on October 26th that it had conducted a strike on October 21st killing five alleged al Qaeda members. The strike hit a remote area of Marib province. There are currently no know reports of civilian harm.
Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, later said that one of those killed in the strike was Abu Hadi al Bayhani, an AQAP leader in Azzan. Davis added that al Bayhani was “a capable and experienced operational planner” for the group in Yemen.
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
Centcom
TAMPA, Fla. – The United States military conducted a successful strike against members of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula on October 21, in a remote area of Marib Governorate, Yemen.
Five AQAP enemy fighters were killed in the strike.
"Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula remains a significant threat to the region and to the United States," said Army Maj. Josh T. Jacques, U.S. Central Command spokesman. "Al-Qa'ida's presence has a destabilizing effect on Yemen, and we are working to deny them a haven from which to plan future attacks."