Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Arabic: تنظيم القاعدة في جزيرة العرب, romanized: Tanẓīm al-Qā‘idah fī Jazīrat al-‘Arab, lit. 'Organization of the Base in the Arabian Peninsula' or تنظيم قاعدة الجهاد في جزيرة العرب, Tanẓīm Qā‘idat al-Jihād fī Jazīrat al-‘Arab, "Organization of Jihad's Base in the Arabian Peninsula"), abbreviated as AQAP, also known as Ansar al-Sharia in Yemen (Arabic: جماعة أنصار الشريعة, Jamā‘at Anṣār ash-Sharī‘ah, "Group of the Helpers of the Sharia"), is a Sunni Islamist insurgent extremist group, which is part of the al-Qaeda network and primarily active in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It is considered the most active of al-Qaeda's branches that emerged after the weakening of central leadership.
| al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula | |
|---|---|
| القاعدة في جزيرة العرب | |
The Black Standard used by AQAP | |
| Leaders | Nasir al-Wuhayshi † (2011–15) Qasim al-Raymi † (2015–20) Khalid Batarfi # (2020–2024) Sa'ad bin Atef al-Awlaki (2024-present) |
| Dates of operation | January 2009 – present |
| Merger of | al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia and Islamic Jihad of Yemen |
| Group(s) | Ansar al-Sharia |
| Headquarters | Mukalla, Hadhramaut Governorate(2015–2016) Wadi Belharith and Azzan in Shabwah Governorate Wadi Obaidah in Ma'rib Governorate Rada'a District in Al Bayda Governorate Mudiyah and Lawdar in Abyan Governorate |
| Active regions | Yemen and Saudi Arabia but predominantly in Yemen
|
| Ideology | Anti-Americanism Pan-Islamism Islamic extremism Qutbism Salafi jihadism Irredentism Anti-Zionism Antisemitism Anti-imperialism |
| Size |
|
| Part of | al-Qaeda |
| Allies | Non-state allies:
|
| Opponents | Non-State opponents Islamic State – Yemen Province State opponents
|
| Battles and wars | Yemeni Insurgency
Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
|
| Designated as a terrorist group by | Bahrain United Nations European Union NATO Australia Canada France Iran Japan United Kingdom Russia Saudi Arabia Syria United States United Arab Emirates Yemen Malaysia New Zealand |
The group established an emirate during the 2011 Yemeni Revolution, which waned in power after foreign interventions in the subsequent Yemeni Civil War. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations, United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE and several countries.