(Previous Incident Code: YEMT009)

Some local language Twitter users alleged that US battleships bombarded the area of Mojan, al-Maraqisha, Abyan province early on February 1st 2017, where AQAP militants were allegedly based.  One source claimed that fisherman in the Shaqra area spotted American battleships approaching from the coast.  There were no known reports of civilian or combatant casualties.

Other sources later claimed that US shelling took place in the same area on February 2nd.  One anonymous Yemeni government official, speaking to Reuters, said regarding the February 2nd strikes that “Ships fired several missiles towards the al-Maraqisha mountains, where al Qaeda elements are based. The ships are widely believed to be Americans.  We have received no information on the outcome of the shelling.”

On February 2nd, the Washington Times reported that “government officials” had told the Associated Press that the area had been shelled by US warships for five consecutive days, though no further sources corroborated this claim.  According to Reuters, the “al-Maraqisha mountains are a key al-Qaeda stronghold in Southern Yemen”, after militants were driven there when Zinjibar and Jaar fell to Yemeni government forces in 2016.

US Pentagon spokesperson Captain Jeff Davies denied US involvement in naval shelling, Reuters reported.  One Twitter source indicated that tribal sheikh Faisal Mohammed Baleedi denied any bombing in the region, while Al Mushahid reported that a “security source” also denied that shelling was taking place.