Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen
The Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen is an ongoing armed conflict between the Yemeni government, the United States and their allies, and al-Qaeda-affiliated cells in Yemen. It is a part of the Global War on Terror.
| Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen | ||||||||
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| Part of the War on terror and the Yemeni Civil War | ||||||||
Political and military control in Yemen in February 2024 Republic of Yemen, territories controlled by pro-government STC militias
Local, non-aligned forces
(For a map of the military situation in Yemen and border areas in Saudi Arabia, see the detailed map here.) | ||||||||
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
Supported by:
Alleged Support:
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Republic of Yemen
Supported by: Supreme Political Council (from 2016)
Iran Syria North Korea Qatar Russia Hezbollah Cuba Eritrea Oman Libya (until 2011) |
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (from 2014) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
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Khalid Batarfi † Nasir al-Wuhayshi † Qasim al-Raymi † Said Ali al-Shihri † Mohamed Atiq Awayd Al Harbi Jalal Bala'idi † Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan † Ibrahim al-Rubaysh † Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi † Anwar al-Awlaki † Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari † Ibrahim al-Banna Fahd al-Quso † Shawki al-Badani † Othman al-Ghamdi † Samir Khan † Ibrahim al-Asiri † Ibrahim al-Qosi |
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi (2012–present) Ali Abdullah Saleh (1998–2012) Joe Biden (2021–present) Donald Trump (2017–21) Barack Obama (2009–17) George W. Bush (2001–09) Bill Clinton (1998–2001) |
Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (2023–present) Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi † (2022–23) Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi † (2022) Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi † (2019–22) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi † (2014–19) Abu Osama al-Muhajir (POW) † (2017–19) Abu Bilal al-Harbi † (2014–17) | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
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AQAP: 1,000–3000+ Al-Shabaab: 500 |
Yemen: 20,000 Advisors & Special Forces: US Forces: 1,500 |
ISIL: 300 (June 2015) 250–500 (2018) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
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at least 25 (2010) at least 279 (2011) at least 48 killed (January–March 2012) at least 318 killed (since April 2012 and 2nd Battle of Lawdar) 429 killed (since May 2012) Total killed: 1,099+ |
: at least 96 (2010) 17 sailors killed, 39 injured during USS Cole bombing | unknown | ||||||
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39 civilians killed (2010) 85 civilians killed (2011) | ||||||||
| Part of a series on |
| Jihadism |
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| Islam portal |
Government crackdown against al-Qaeda cells began in 2001, escalating steadily until 14 January 2010, when Yemen declared open war on al-Qaeda. In addition to battling al-Qaeda across several provinces, Yemen was forced to contend with a Shia insurgency in the north and militant separatists in the south. Fighting with al-Qaeda escalated further during the course of the 2011 Yemeni revolution, with Jihadists seizing most of the Abyan Governorate and declaring it an Emirate. A second wave of violence began in early 2012, with militants claiming territory across the southwest amid heavy combat with government forces.
On 16 September 2014, a full-scale civil war erupted after Houthi fighters stormed Sana'a and ousted interim President Hadi, fracturing the Yemeni government between the UN recognized government of President Hadi and the Houthis' newly formed Supreme Political Council. The full-scale civil war led to a rise of Islamist Groups (Al-Qaeda, ISIS), insurgencies (Houthis), and call for separation of South Yemen.