Fall of Zinjibar and Jaar

Last updated
Fall of Zinjibar and Jaar
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
Date2–3 December 2015 (1 day)
Location
Result

AQAP victory

  • Al-Qaeda declares the "Emirate of Jaar" and the "Emirate of Zinjibar"
Belligerents
ShababFlag.svg al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

Flag of Yemen.svg Popular Committees and Popular resistance

Flag of South Yemen.svg Southern Movement
Commanders and leaders
ShababFlag.svg Abu Hamza al-Zinjibari

Flag of Yemen.svg Ali al-Sayed  

Flag of Yemen.svg Al-Khader Haidan [1]
Flag of South Yemen.svg Abdullatif Al-Sayed
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
5+ killed 22+ killed

In early December 2015, two Yemeni towns, Zinjibar (the provincial capital of Abyan Governorate) and Ja'ar (a town a few km inland to the north), 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. [2]

Contents

Zinjibar is close to the port of Aden, and the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, [3] and between Aden and (what was) the AQAP's stronghold of Mukalla. [4] The al Qaeda takeover of two towns has been seem by some as a demonstration of its interest in seizing territory and not just "conducting spectacular attacks against Western targets". [2]

Zinjibar was retaken by pro-government forces on 14 August 2016. [5]

Background

Zinjibar lies on the Gulf of Aden, about 54 km from Yemen's second city Aden, east of the "strategic" strait of Bab al-Mandab (about three million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily). [3] Control of Ja'ar would also have made it easier for AQAP to bring supplies from its (former) stronghold of Mukalla, in Hadramawt province, to attack Aden. [4]

2011-2012 fighting

Members of AQAP in a checkpoint in Jaar on April 28, 2012. Members of AQAP in Jaar April 28, 2012.jpg
Members of AQAP in a checkpoint in Jaar on April 28, 2012.

Zinjibar was under AQAP's control from May 2011 until the summer of 2012, when they were driven out with the help of American airstrikes. [1] [2] In 2011, the "Yemeni Revolution" protest movement to end the 33 years of rule by President Ali Abdullah Saleh created a "power vacuum" in parts of Yemen. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters seized a number of towns in Abyan—including the city of Jaar in March 2011 and Zinjibar in May. They later captured a football stadium outside Zinjibar which they used as "a makeshift army base". [3]

The "emirate" created by ASAP was noted as time when Al Qaeda sought to emphasize (and publicize in a media campaign) not strict sharia law, but "uncharacteristically gentle" good governance over conquered territory—rebuilding infrastructure, quashing banditry, and resolving legal disputes. [6] However, "clemency drained away under the pressure of war". [6] After months of fighting, by mid-2011 Aljazeera reported that "dozens have been killed and an estimated 54,000 civilians have fled Abyan," and that tribesman formerly allied with AQAP had switched sides and begun backed Yemeni forces in their quest take back Zinjibar from AQAP. [3] According to The New York Times correspondent Robert Worth, the failure of this gentle style of jihadi rule may have "taught" jihadis a lesson later demonstrated by ISIS, that fear and terror were needed to instill obedience and prevent neutral citizens under their rule from eventually becoming enemies. [6]

Houthi control

Houthi rebels later took control of Zinjibar, but in August 2015 fighters loyal to President Hadi, with the help of Saudi airstrikes, pushed the Houthi out of Zinjibar. [2]

Battle

In 2 December, AQAP attacked Jaar and Zinjibar and launched a raid that killed 15 pro-government troops. The deputy leader of the popular committees Ali al-Sayed was killed. AQAP appeared to first withdraw from the raid but they returned later and consolidated control over the two cities. [4] [7] A local pro government commander and at least 6 other fighters were reportedly killed in the battle fighting AQAP, along with at least five AQAP fighters. [8]

Aftermath

By early October 2015, AQAP fighters had reportedly captured some government buildings in Zinjibar, expelling government fighters and establishing Sharia courts. [9] Using these strongholds al-Qaeda's fighters stormed Jaar and the rest of Zinjibar during the dawn of 1 December 2015. The towns were captured immediately with relatively little fighting, despite local reinforcements from commanders and troops loyal to Yemen's government. [10]

The Yemeni government's preoccupation with fighting Houthi rebels prevented it from sending reinforcements from Aden to assist the Abyan fighters loyal to the government. [1] [11]

Declaration of AQAP Emirates

After the complete fall of the two cities, al-Qaeda declared "Emirates" in the two towns providing civilian services, and establishing a Sharia court. The AQAP offensive was led by Abu Hamza al-Zinjibari, who was "emir" of the Abyan Governorate territory held by AQAP since the 2011 declaration of their Emirate. It is reported that AQAP plowed up the house of the local commander loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

US drone strikes

Some months later, in 27 of March, 2016, three suspected US drone strikes hit AQAP positions inside their government buildings onside Zinjibar, reportedly killing some 14 AQAP soldiers. [12] Three days after the take over, AQAP issued a bounty of 7 million Yemeni riyals ($32,500) on the head of the pro-government Popular Committee, [2] Abdullatif al-Sayed, alleging he had "stabbed the mujahedeen in the back". [4]

Recapture of Zinjibar

On 14 August 2016, Yemeni government forces backed by Arab coalition aircraft and gunboats reportedly retook Zinjibar from AQAP. The push to retake the town had encountered "repeated suicide attacks" against Yemeni forces. [5]

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">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 cells 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">2012 Abyan offensive</span>

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.

<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, 2001 attacks in the United States, when the US militant attacked Islamist military presence in Yemen, in particular Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula using drone warfare.

The following lists events that happened during 2013 in Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mukalla (2015)</span> Battle of the Yemeni Civil War

The First Battle of Mukalla (2015) was a battle between al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, local tribesmen, and the Yemen Army for control of the coastal city of Mukalla, Yemen.

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

The Abyan campaign was a 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.

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

The Shabwah campaign was a campaign for control of the Shabwah 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 Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi on the other side. The offensive was also launched during a previously started AQAP offensive.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic State – Yemen Province</span> Branch of Islamic State, active in Yemen

The Islamic State – Yemen Province is a branch of the militant Islamist group Islamic State (IS), active in Yemen. IS announced the group's formation on 13 November 2014.

The following is a timeline of the Yemeni civil war, which began in September 2014.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mohammed Mukhashaf (2 December 2015). "Al Qaeda militants take over two south Yemen towns, residents say". Reuters. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Al Qaeda seizes town, provincial capital in southern Yemen". The Long War Journal. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Yemeni army attacks fighters around Zinjibar". AlJazeera. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Qaeda offers bounty for head of Yemen pro-government force | Middle East Eye |5 December 2015
  5. 1 2 "Yemen: Government Forces Retake Zinjibar From Al Qaeda Militants". Stratfor. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Worth, Robert F. (2016). A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil, from Tahrir Square to ISIS. Pan Macmillan. p. 173. ISBN   9780374710712 . Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  7. ISIS militants kill two Yemen tribesmen| AFP | alarabiya.net |3 December 2015 |Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  8. "Al-Qaeda seizes key Yemeni towns from pro-Hadi forces" . Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  9. Yemen's al-Qaeda branch now in control of several Aden neighbourhoods| AFP |middle east eye |22 October 2015 |Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  10. "AQAP, Houthis, Saudis: Yemen′s multifaction civil war - World - DW.COM - 08.12.2015". DW.COM. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  11. "Al Qaeda seizes town, provincial capital in southern Yemen". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  12. Suspected U.S. air strikes in Yemen kill 14 militants: residents, medics| reuters| March 27, 2016 |Retrieved 12 October 2016.