Geolocation
Airwars assessment
At least one person, believed to be affiliated with Al Qaeda, was reported killed in an alleged US drone strike on a motorcycle in the Al Batha area, Marib governorate, on December 14th, 2020, according to local sources.
Al Arabiya reported that according to a source within the local authority in Marib, “an unmanned drone, likely to be an American, launched a raid on an al-Qaeda operative in the Al Batha area, isolating the forts of Al Jalal in the Wadi Directorate, northeast of the city of Ma’rib.”
@Ywbmmd tweeted that “a drone, believed to be an American, targeted a motorcycle in which a person (believed to be affiliated with Al Qaeda) was travelling in the Al Batha area – the car market in the forts of Al Jalal.” According to @Abolbrahim2018, the victim was a senior leader of Al Qaeda.
Several sources, including Al Hadath Center, reported two killed Al Qaeda militants. @mobass20 was the only source reporting that the motorcycle was carrying three Al Qaeda militants.
According to Yemen Post, the event took place in the “Al Batha area in the car market in the forts of Al Jalal of the Wadi Directorate.”
Sahaftak wrote that “local sources said that a drone bombed a motorcycle carrying two Al Qaeda operatives in the Al Jalal fortress area in the valley, killing two Al Qaeda operatives and burning the motorcycle.”
@saifbinrashid7 reported that “an Al Qaeda operative was killed in Marib by bombing of an American drone.”
According to Al Sharae News, the identity of the target was unknown. The source added that the killed man’s “body parts were littered with his motorcycle”.
Al Hadath Center reported that “the airstrike resulted in the killing of the target and the burning of his bicycle, without identifying him.”
All sources blamed the United States for the strike.
The incident occured in the evening.
Summary
Sources (34) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]
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Aftermath of an alleged US drone strike on motorcycle reportedly carrying an Al Qaeda operative near Al Batha area, Marib governorate, on December 14th, 2020 (via @aden_news24).
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the Al Batha (البطحة) area, allegedly located within the area of Marib (مأرب) city. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Marib are: 15.478001, 45.318089.