2012 Abyan offensive

Last updated

2012 Abyan offensive
Part of Yemeni Crisis (2011-present)
Abyan in Yemen.svg
Map of Yemen showing Abyan Governorate.
Date12 May – 15 June 2012
(1 month and 3 days)
Location
Zinjibar and Jaʿār, Abyan Governorate, Yemen
Result

Decisive Yemeni victory [1]

  • 2012 Sana'a bombing
  • Government forces recapture Zinjibar, Jaar and Shuqrah in mid-June
  • Militants pull back to Azzan in Shabwah Governorate, then abandon it peacefully on 17 June
  • AQAP and its allies return to an insurgency campaign in Abyan and neighboring provinces
Belligerents

ShababFlag.svg Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula [2]

Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen

Commanders and leaders

Flag of Jihad.svg Abu Hamza al-Zinjibari
Flag of Jihad.svg Nasir al-Wuhayshi
Flag of Jihad.svg Said Ali al-Shihri
Flag of Jihad.svg Qasim al-Raymi
Flag of Jihad.svg Ibrahim al-Asiri
Flag of Jihad.svg Qaed al-Dahab  (WIA)

Contents

Flag of Jihad.svg Sheikh Hatim al Moqbil [3] 		Flag of Yemen.svg Abdullatif Al-Sayed
Flag of Yemen.svg Gen. Salem Ali Qatan   † [4]
Flag of Yemen.svg Brig. Gen. Muhammad Nasir Ahmad Ali
Flag of Yemen.svg Saleh al-Ahmar
Strength
2,000 fighters (Zinjibar) [5] Thousands of troops, backed by tanks and fighter jets
Local tribal militias [1]
Casualties and losses
429 militants killed [6] 78 soldiers, 26 tribal fighters killed [6]
34 civilians killed [6]


The 2012 Abyan offensive was an offensive by the Yemeni military against Islamist militant forces, possibly including elements of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), in the province of Abyan with the purpose of re-capturing the militant-held towns of Zinjibar and Jaʿār.

On 12 May, the military started the offensive in an attempt to recapture all areas of Abyan out of their control. Over a month of fighting, 567 people were reportedly killed, including 429 Islamist fighters, 78 soldiers, 26 tribal fighters and 34 civilians. [6] On 12 June the Yemeni army succeeded in retaking Zinjibar and Jaar, pushing the militants away after heavy clashes in and around both towns. The city of Shuqrah fell on 15 June, and militants retreated towards neighboring Shabwah Governorate. [7]

Early advances

Over 19 and 20 May, 19 soldiers and 33 militants were killed in fighting in Ja'ar. [8]

On the evening of 23 May, militants conducted a counter-attack in the region of Wadi Bani, west of Ja'ar, during which 33-35 militant fighters and nine soldiers were killed. A military official stated that though the army was making progress in its advance on Ja'ar, "it was facing resistance" from the militants. Earlier in the day, the military managed to advance into northeastern neighbourhoods of Zinjibar. Although managing to capture several buildings on the outskirts, they were being harassed by militant snipers. [9] [10]

On 26 May, the military pressed on with its offensive in Zinjibar, recapturing key positions in the Maraqid and Mashqasa districts on the outskirts of the city. The military stated 62 militant fighters were killed during the day while they suffered four dead and four wounded. 20 of the rebels were killed in the ground fighting and around 30 were killed when they were bombed by warplanes while trying to flee the area in pick-up trucks. Most of the dead militants were reportedly Somalis. Troops had also found the bodies of 25 militants killed in earlier clashes. At the same time, in Ja'ar, a roadside bomb destroyed a military vehicle on the outskirts of the town killing eight soldiers. Seven militants were killed in the fighting there.[ dead link ] [11] [12] [13]

On 31 May, fighting was reported on the northern and western outskirts of Ja'ar where troops, backed up by local tribal fighters, assaulted militant positions. An air strike also hit an AQAP communications centre in the town of Shaqra, east of Ja'ar. [14]

Fighting intensifies

In fighting on 2 June, three militant rockets hit the headquarters of the 25th Mechanised Brigade, killing one soldier and wounding six others. [15]

On 3 June, after securing the outskirts of Zinjibar, the military moved into the central part of the city where heavy fighting ensued with the militants in the city center. At the same time, troops fought Islamist fighters on the western edge of Jaar. [16]

On 4 June, the military was closing in on the militant-held town of Shaqra, 50 km (30 miles) along the coast east of Zinjibar. Militant forces in the town were reportedly preparing for a fight. [17]

On 11 June, warplanes bombed areas to the north and the west of Jaar and the Army attacked a hilltop munitions factory overlooking the town. [18] After hours of fighting the Army captured the factory. Fighting was also reported in the nearby town of Shaqra. [19]

Recapture of Zinjibar, Ja'ar and Shuqrah

On 12 June the Yemeni army succeeded in retaking Zinjibar and Jaar, pushing the militants away after heavy clashes in and around both towns. At least 28 casualties were reported, all but two of them being insurgents. Local residents reported vehicles carrying armed men, weapons and furniture heading east towards Shuqrah. The militants reportedly distributed pamphlets in Jaar apologising to residents for dragging the town into a conflict with the army and for the damage caused by the fighting. [7] The governor of Abyan Governorate Jamal al-Aqel estimated that about 200-300 militants, including senior leaders and foreign fighters, had fled east and were being pursued by government forces. The Army reopened the main road between Jaar and Aden and vehicles could travel to the port for the first time in more than a year. The Defence Ministry said on its website that the Yemeni Navy had sunk 10 boats in which the militants had been planning to flee Shuqrah if needed. [20]

After two days of heavy battles the Army reported regaining control of Shuqrah on 15 June. At least 57 militants were confirmed killed, with most of the rest fleeing to Shabwah Governorate and the city of Azzan, one of the last urban strongholds of the militants. The adjacent province also saw intense fighting, with reports indicating at least 23 insurgents died on 14 June during clashes at gas facilities near Belhaf. Government forces have not yet announced their own casualty figures, as well as the civilian toll. [1]

On 17 June, AQAP peacefully withdrew from Azzan following mediation by local tribal leaders. However, the following day, the Army general leading the assault against the militants, General Salem Ali Qatan, was killed in the port city of Aden by a suicide bomber. Two soldiers were killed in the attack and twelve people sustained injuries. [4] [21] [22]

Aftermath

In the weeks after the recapture of the main population centers there were no reported incidents. The first major attack was on 1 August, when a group of around 20 militants attacked a police station in the former insurgent stronghold of Jaʿār, killing four officers and injuring another. [23] Three days later, a suicide bomber killed at least 45 people and injured more than 40 others during a funeral service in Jaar. Military officials and residents said the bomber targeted tribesmen who sided with the Yemeni army during an offensive against Islamist fighters that the government hailed as a major victory in June. [24] Abyan remained quiet for the following weeks, despite major attacks by AQAP against the central intelligence building in Aden on 18 August, [25] as well as the convoy of Yemeni Defense Minister Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahmed in the heart of the capital Sana'a. The latter blast came one day after the government announced the death of AQAP number-two operative Said al-Shihri in a US drone strike. [26] On 16 October a suicide bomber killed six local militia members at a checkpoint outside the city of Mudya in Abyan. [27] On 19 October militants set off a car bomb at an army base in Abyan Governorate, sparking a heavy firefight with security forces. Sixteen soldiers and 8 militants were killed during the raid, while at least 29 soldiers were injured. [28] [29] A suicide bombing at a militia office in Zinjibar killed at least three on 16 November. [30]

In the beginning of December Amnesty International released a report on the fighting, accusing both sides in the conflict of "horrific" rights abuses and calling for an impartial government probe into events on the ground. According to the report, Islamic militants had set up their own courts and carried out "public summary killings, crucifixion, amputation and flogging". Ansar al-Sharia also "used residential areas as a base of operations, particularly in Jaar, thus exposing civilians to harm. The London-based watchdog also accused Yemeni government troops of using air strikes, artillery and mortars to indiscriminately bombard civilian areas, resulting in scores of casualties, including many children. [31]

On 31 January 2013, clashes broke out between Yemeni Army units and suspected militants in al-Maraksha, Abyan Governorate. By 2 February the government forces had successfully pushed the insurgents out of the town, killing 12 of them. At least 5 Yemeni soldiers and local militia members were also killed during the fighting. According to local sources, the militants moved to East Anwar, about 80 km from the regional capital Zinjibar. [32]

2015–2016 fall and recapture

Al-Qaeda's fighters stormed Jaar and Zinjibar in early December 2015 and recaptured the towns, [33] later declaring them "Emirates", providing civilian services, and establishing a Sharia court. In summer 2016 Yemeni government forces backed by Arab coalition aircraft and gunboats moved to retake the towns, and despite encountering "repeated suicide attacks" drove AQAP out of Zinjibar on 14 August 2016. [34]

Related Research Articles

In its war on terrorism in Yemen, the US government describes Yemen as "an important partner in the global war on terrorism". There have been attacks on civilian targets and tourists, and there was a cargo-plane bomb plot in 2010. Counter-terrorism operations have been conducted by the Yemeni police, the Yemeni military, and the United States Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abyan Governorate</span> Governorate of Yemen

Abyan is a governorate of Yemen. The Abyan region was historically part of the Fadhli Sultanate. It was a base to the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army militant group. Its capital is the city of Zinjibar. This governorate is noted for its agriculture, in particular the cultivation of date palms and animal husbandry.

Zinjibar is a port and coastal town in south-central Yemen, the capital of Zinjibar District and the Abyan Governorate. It is located next to the Wadi Bana in the Abyan Delta. From 1962 to 1967, it was the administrative capital of the Fadhli Sultanate, although the royal residence remained at the former capital of Shuqrah. At the time of the 2004 census, Zinjibar's population numbered 19,879 inhabitants. The town supports a small seaside resort and fishing industry. Cotton grown in the area is brokered in the market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula</span> Sunni Islamist militant organization

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP is a Sunni Islamist militant organization which seeks to overthrow the Yemeni government and establish an Islamic emirate. Part of the al-Qaeda network, the group is primarily active in Yemen and, to a lesser extent, Saudi Arabia. It is considered the most active of al-Qaeda's affiliates that emerged after the weakening of central leadership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaʽār</span> Town in Abyan Governorate, Yemen

Jaʽar is a small town and the capital of Khanfir District in southwestern Yemen. One of the largest settlements in Abyan Governorate, it is located to the north of Al Kawd and the regional capital of Zinjibar. The town is located about 2 kilometres east of the right bank of the Wadi Bana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen</span> Ongoing conflict

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 groups in Yemen. It is a part of the Global War on Terror.

The Battle of Zinjibar was a battle between forces loyal to Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh and Islamist militant forces, possibly including elements of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), for control of the town of Zinjibar and its surroundings as part of the wider insurgency in the self-declared Al-Qaeda Emirate in Yemen. Many of the Islamist forces operating in Abyan province refer to themselves as Ansar al-Sharia.

The Battle of Dofas was a battle during the 2011 Yemeni uprising between forces loyal to Yemeni leader Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Islamist militant forces, possibly including elements of al-Qaeda, during which the militants destroyed an Army artillery battalion of the 39th Armored Brigade in the town of Dofas, which was being used as a main base for artillery support against the militant-held towns of Zinjibar and Jaʿār.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ansar al-Sharia (Yemen)</span> Militant Jihadist organization in Yemen

Jama'at Ansar al-Shari'a, also known as Ansar al-Shari'a, is a Yemen-based umbrella organization which includes units from several militant Islamic groups of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). In 2011, AQAP created Ansar Al-Sharia as a Yemen-based affiliate focused on waging an insurgency rather than international attacks on the West. In the view of the International Crisis Group, AQAP is "an internally diverse organisation with varying layers of support among the local population" and many AAS members and allies are not committed to AQAP's international agenda.

The following lists events that happened during 2012 in Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drone strikes in Yemen</span> United States drone strikes in Yemen

United States drone strikes in Yemen started after the September 11 attacks in the United States, when the US military attacked the Islamist militant presence in Yemen, in particular Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula using drone warfare.

"Yemeni crisis (2011–present)" refers to events of the Houthi insurgency in Yemen, the Yemeni revolution, the Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen and the South Yemen insurgency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abyan campaign</span> Campaign of the Yemeni Civil War

The Abyan campaign was a 2015 campaign for control of the Abyan Governorate of Yemen, between the Houthis and Yemen Army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh on one side, and militiamen and Yemen Army units loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on the other side, supported by jihadists of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The pro-Hadi forces recaptured the Abyan Governorate on 11 August 2015, after launching an offensive on pro-Houthi forces in early August.

In early December 2015, two Yemeni towns, Zinjibar and Jaʽār, were captured by the jihadist group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). This was the second capture and occupation of Zinjibar during unrest in Yemen. The town was earlier taken by AQAP's in May 2011 and held until the summer of 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Abyan Offensive (2016)</span>

The Southern Abyan Offensive refers to a 2016 offensive that AQAP launched in late February, which ended with a victory for AQAP as Yemeni tribal fighters loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi were driven out of the Abyan Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aden unrest (2015–2019)</span> Conflict in southern Yemen between government, separatists and Islamists

The Aden unrest was a conflict between Islamist factions, such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's Yemen Branch, against the loyalists of president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and later to conflict between UAE-backed and Saudi-backed factions within the coalition. In 2017, fighting also broke out between factions aligned with different members of the Saudi-led coalition namely Saudi Arabia-backed Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Al-Islah and UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council and Southern Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shabwah Governorate offensive</span> Insurgent campaign by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

The Shabwah Governorate offensive is an insurgent campaign by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) forces to take control of Shabwah Governorate during the Yemeni Civil War.

The Hadramaut insurgency was an insurgency in Yemen launched by AQAP and ISIL-YP against forces loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abyan conflict</span> Clashes of the Yemeni Civil War

The Abyan conflict was a series of clashes between forces of AQAP loyal to Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and forces loyal to Southern Movement for the control of Abyan between 2016 and 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdullatif Al-Sayed</span> Southern Yemeni warlord from Abyan (1972–2023)

Abdullatif Al-Sayed Bafaqih was a Southern Yemeni warlord from Abyan who played a major role during the wars against Al-Qaeda after 2012 in Abyan Governorate.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Yemeni army claims major advance in campaign against al Qaeda". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Militants linked to al-Qaeda emboldened in Yemen". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gulf Of Aden Security Review June 8, 2012 | Critical Threats". Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Yemen southern army commander Qatan dies in suicide attack". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  5. ↑ [ dead link ]
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Yemen army seizes third city after Qaeda pullout". Gulftoday.ae. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Yemeni army drives fighters from Zinjibar". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "'Al-Qaeda attack' on Yemen army parade causes carnage". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "HostedNews article". Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "42 killed in Yemen's Jaar". Google. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Thirty-three killed in Fighting between Yemeni Army and Al Qaeda". Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Yemen's army recaptures rebel positions, 62 militants killed". English.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Yemen: 33 killed in clashes between al Qaeda, Army". Zee News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "31 dead in Yemen fighting with Qaeda". The Nation. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Four Qaeda fighters, soldier killed in Yemen". Dawn. Pakistan. Archived from the original on 24 November 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Troops, insurgents battle in centre of southern Yemen city". Moneycontrol.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Yemen Army gears up for push on Al-Qaeda-held town" . Retrieved 4 June 2012.[ dead link ]
  18. ↑ "Yemen army battles al-Qaida, says 28 killed". Fox News Channel. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "28 killed as Yemen troops clash with Al Qaeda". Antaranews.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "Yemen army, in major victory, retakes two cities". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "HostedNews article f48842f043.b41". Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  22. ↑ "Suicide bomber kills south Yemen army chief". Trust.org. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  23. ↑ "Militants attack Yemeni police, killing four". Trust.org. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  24. ↑ "Deadly suicide attack hits Yemen's south". Al Jazeera. 5 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  25. ↑ "Security officers killed in Yemen attack". Al Jazeera. 18 August 2012. Archived from the original on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  26. ↑ "Yemen's defense minister eludes assassination". The Boston Globe. 12 September 2012. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  27. ↑ "(Suicide bomber kills 6 in Yemen's south (Yahoo! News via Reuters)". Yahoo News. 16 October 2012. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  28. ↑ "Al Qaeda attack on Yemen army base kills 24". Trust.org. 19 October 2012. Archived from the original on 14 March 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  29. ↑ "15 soldiers perish in attack on army base". Oman Daily News. 19 October 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  30. ↑ "(Yemen suicide bomber kills three in Abyan militia offices (Reuters)". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  31. ↑ "Southern Yemen experienced human rights 'catastrophe' during al-Qaeda rule (The Telegraph)". The Daily Telegraph. 4 December 2012. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  32. ↑ "Yemeni military: Town seized from al-Qaeda (Yahoo! News via Reuters)". Yahoo News. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  33. ↑ "AQAP, Houthis, Saudis: Yemen′s multifaction civil war - World - DW.COM - 08.12.2015". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  34. ↑ "Yemen: Government Forces Retake Zinjibar From Al Qaeda Militants". Stratfor. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.

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