TerrorismU.S. drone attacks kill at least 55 al-Qaeda militants in Yemen
A series of U.S. drone strikes Sunday and Monday killed at least fifty-five al-Qaeda militants in Yemen. The operation focused on al-Qaeda operation basecamps in the rugged mountain of the central and southern provinces of Yemen. Yemeni government sources to say that the first series of attacks, carried out on Sunday, killed three prominent al-Qaeda operatives. Al-Qaeda made gains in Yemen during the chaos which accompanied the 2011 popular uprising against then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was driven from power a year later. In the last two years, the United States and the new Yemeni government have escalated the fight against the Islamist militants.
A series of U.S. drone strikes Sunday and Monday killed at least fifty-five al-Qaeda militants in Yemen. The operation focused on al-Qaeda operation basecamps in the rugged mountain of the central and southern provinces of Yemen.
The air strikes hit targets in the Mahfad region, between Abyan, Shabwa, and al-Bayda provinces.
Yemen’s interior ministry said that the first strikes on Sunday lasted for several hours and claimed the lives of three prominent figures as well as dozens of other militants. It identified the three as Mohammed Salem Abed Rabbo al-Mashibi, Fawaz Hussein al-Mahrak and Saleh Said Mahrak.
The Washington Post reports that Yemeni security officials noted that the sprawling base was one of the few permanent facilities al-Qaeda was operating in Yemen.
The Guardian quotes Yemeni government sources to say that the first series of attacks, carried out on Sunday, killed three prominent al-Qaeda operatives — Mohammed Salem Abed Rabbo al-Mashibi, Fawaz Hussein al-Mahrak, and Saleh Said Mahrak. These strikes hit targets in the valley of Wadi al-Khayala and two other locations, Lodiya and Ramtha, which are located at either end of the valley.
Scores of al-Qaeda militants were killed in subsequent attacks during Sunday and Monday.
A local al-Qaeda commander, Munnaser al-Anbouri, was among those killed in Monday attacks
The Guardian reports that a Yemeni security official said that the infrastructure of the militants’ operation base had been destroyed. Tribal leaders in the region said that in recent weeks, al-Qaeda operatives have been seen transferring large quantities of arms, including heavy weaponry, to the base.
The Yemeni security officials said the attack on the base was based on intelligence and “regional and international,” implying that Saudi Arabia was involved in the planning of the attack, in addition to the United States.
The attack came shortly after the Yemeni defense minister, Major General Mohammed Nasser Ahmed, and his commanders returned from a two-week visit to the United States.
In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman said he could not comment on any specific actions.
“But as you know, we have a very strong and collaborative relationship with the Yemeni government. We work closely together with them on various initiatives in the counterterrorism realm,” Army Col. Steve Warren said.
