Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

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 of Saudi Arabia and Islamic Jihad of Yemen
Allegiance	al-Qaeda
Group(s)	Ansar al-Sharia Islamic Jihad of Yemen Aden-Abyan Islamic Army al-Qaeda of Saudi Arabia
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 Abyan Governorate Shabwah Governorate Hadhramaut Governorate Lahij Governorate Al Bayda Governorate Marib Governorate
Ideology	Anti-Americanism Pan-Islamism Islamic extremism Qutbism Salafi jihadism Irredentism Anti-Zionism Antisemitism Anti-imperialism
Size	12,000 (own claim, 2010) 4,000 (2017 estimate) 6,000–7,000 (2018 estimate) 3,000 (2022 estimate)
Part of	al-Qaeda
Allies	Non-state allies: al-Shabaab (2009–present) al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (2009–present) al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (2014–present) Al-Nusra Front (2012–2017)
Opponents	Non-State opponents Islamic State – Yemen Province Southern Movement Houthis State opponents Saudi Arabia Yemen (Presidential Leadership Council) Yemen (Supreme Political Council) United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Australia NATO
Battles and wars	Yemeni Insurgency Operation Blow to the Head Battle of Zinjibar Siege of Dammaj Battle of Dofas First Battle of Lawdar Battle of Radda 2012 Abyan offensive 2012 Sana'a bombing 2013 Sana'a attack Al Bayda Governorate Clashes (2012–13) Al Bayda Governorate Clashes (2013–14) Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) Siege of Al Bayda Governorate Battle of Mukalla (2015) Battle of Mukalla (2016) Hadramaut insurgency Abyan campaign (March–August 2015) Al Bayda Offensive (2015–16) Fall of Zinjibar and Jaar Abyan campaign Aden unrest Shabwah Governorate offensive Abyan conflict Raid on Yakla Raid on Al Hathla Al-Jawf offensive Al Bayda offensive 2022 Southern Yemen offensive
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

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.

The group established an emirate during the 2011 Yemeni Revolution, reaching its peak in 2015 after capturing the provincial capital of Mukalla. Its strength has since waned after internal struggles and foreign interventions in the subsequent Yemeni Civil War, and by the late 2010's they would only operate substantially in their strongholds, Abyan and al-Bayda governorates. Despite their losses, AQAP still remains as one of al-Qaeda's strongest affiliates. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations, United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE and several other countries.

Ideology and formation

Like al-Qaeda Central, AQAP opposes the monarchy of the House of Saud. AQAP was formed in January 2009 from a merger of the Yemeni branch and Saudi branch of al-Qaeda. The Saudi group had been effectively suppressed by the Saudi government, forcing its members to seek sanctuary in Yemen.

The groups objectives include the overthrowal of Saudi and Yemeni governments and the establishment of an Islamic state in the Arabian Peninsula. In 2010, it was believed to have several hundred members. The group also seeks for the destruction of the Israeli state and the liberation of the Palestinian territories.

Transformation into an active al-Qaeda branch

AQAP fighters in Yemen, 2014.

The number of terrorist plots in the West that originated from Pakistan declined considerably from most of them (at the outset), to 75% in 2007, and to 50% in 2010, as al-Qaeda shifted to Somalia and Yemen.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton formally designated al-Qaeda in Yemen a terrorist organization on 14 December 2009. On 24 August 2010, The Washington Post journalist Greg Miller wrote that the CIA believed Yemen's branch of al-Qaeda had surpassed its parent organization, Osama bin Laden's core group, as al-Qaeda's most dangerous threat to the U.S. homeland.

On 26 August 2010, Yemen claimed that U.S. officials had exaggerated the size and danger of al-Qaeda in Yemen, insisting also that fighting the jihadist network's local branch remained Sanaa's job. A former bodyguard of Osama bin Laden warned of an escalation in fighting between al-Qaeda and Yemeni authorities and predicted the government would need outside intervention to stay in power.

However, Ahmed al-Bahri told the Associated Press that attacks by al-Qaeda in southern Yemen was an indication of its increasing strength. CNN analyst Paul Cruickshank asserted that several U.S. officials viewed AQAP as the branch of al-Qaeda which posed the most serious threat to American interests in the region.

Operations and activities as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

Main article: USS Cole bombing

Al-Qaeda was responsible for the USS Cole bombing in October 2000 in Aden, killing 17 U.S. sailors. In 2002, an al-Qaeda bomb damaged the French supertanker Limburg in the Gulf of Aden.

The Global Terrorism Database attributes the 2004 Khobar massacre to the group.

In addition to a number of attacks in Saudi Arabia, and the kidnap and murder of Paul Marshall Johnson Jr. in Riyadh in 2004, the group is suspected in connection with a bombing in Doha, Qatar, in March 2005.

Operations and activities during Yemen conflict

2009

On 15 March, 4 South Korean tourists were killed in Shibam, Hadhramaut by a suicide bomber. The Yemeni government blamed AQAP for the attack, as well as one on a South Korean delegation on 18 March that only killed the perpetrator.

On 27 August 2009, Saudi-Arabian AQAP suicide bomber Abdullah al-Asiri attempted to assassinate Saudi prince Muhammad bin Nayef at a Ramadan gathering in his home in Jeddah. Al-Asiri was sent to Saudi Arabia from Yemen, and had previously expressed his intention to turn himself in to Saudi authorities. Though al-Arisi was killed in the bombing, Nayef was only slightly injured.

2010

On 8 February, deputy leader Said Ali al-Shihri called for a regional holy war and blockade of the Red Sea to prevent shipments to Israel. In an audiotape announcement he called upon Somali militant group al-Shabaab for assistance in the blockade.

On 26 April, an AQAP suicide bomber attempted to assassinate the UK ambassador to Yemen, Timothy Torlot in Sana'a. Torlot was unhurt, but 3 others were injured in the attack. AQAP attempted again to kill a British diplomat, Fionna Gibb, in Sana'a on 6 October. An AQAP member fired a rocket-propelled grenade at her vehicle, injuring an embassy worker and 3 bystanders. Gibb was unharmed.

Main article: First Battle of Lawdar

The Yemeni government launched an offensive on 19 August to secure the town of Lawdar, Abyan, which was an AQAP stronghold. The government announced on 25 August that they recaptured the town, repordetly killing 12 to 19 AQAP fighters and losing 11 soldiers.

On 24 November, a suicide bomber attacked a convoy heading to the funeral of Badreddin al-Houthi, father of Houthi founder Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, killing 1 person and injuring 8. The incident occured in Dahyun while the convoy was on their way to Saada. AQAP was suspected of conducting the attack.

2011

On 6 March, AQAP claimed responsibility for two attacks which killed 5 Yemeni soldiers altogether. 4 soldiers apart of the Republican Guard were killed in an ambush on a convoy in Marib governorate, while an army colonel was shot and killed in Zinjibar, Abyan.

On 31 March, amid the chaos caused by the Yemeni revolution, AQAP declared an "Islamic Emirate" in the southern Abyan governorate. Just days before, the group had seized the towns of 'Azzan, Ja'ar as well as many other areas within the governorate.

On 13 May, an AQAP ambush on a Yemeni army convoy in Marib left at least 5 soldiers dead. The attacker had fired an RPG at the convoy.

Main article: Battle of Zinjibar

On 27 May, Ansar al-Sharia, an organization commonly understood to be an affiliate or direct extension of AQAP, captured the capital of Abyan governorate, Zinjibar. More than 200 militants seized the town, killing 16 soldiers and freeing dozens of prisoners. Ansar al-Sharia entrenched itself into the city in the following days, repelling attempts by the military to enter the city on 31 May and on 7 June, and forcing 2 brigades to retreat on 21 June. Multiple tribes changed their allegiance from the militants to the military as fighting raged on in Abyan and more civilians were displaced. The Yemeni army along with allied tribes launched an offensive on July 17 attacking the city from the west. On 22 July, the army established control over a sports stadium near Zinjibar and waged fighting near the entrance of the city, while allied tribes secured a main highway leading to the city. Though the city was declared to be retaken by the government on 10 September, the government only controlled the eastern portion while Ansar al-Sharia still controlled the west. A deal was reached on 12 January 2012 to allow residents to return.

A prison break in Mukalla occurred in mid-June, freeing 63 AQAP prisoners and killing a guard. The prison was attacked by militants with artillery, allowing the inmates to escape through a 35-metre long tunnel.

On 10 August, AQAP seized the port town of Shuqrah, Abyan, quickly driving out local tribesman with a group of no more than 50 militants. The group had also seized government equipment and artillery.

On 30 September, American-Yemeni cleric and alleged AQAP member Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a US drone strike in the town of Khashef, al-Jawf governorate, while travelling in a vehicle. Awlaki was previously the target of a drone strike on 5 May, though he evaded the attack which instead killed 2 AQAP members in their car. The US government placed Awlaki on a CIA kill list and froze his assets a year before, accusing him of inciting and directing multiple terror plots in the United States, including the 2009 Fort Hood shooting and the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253. The attack had also killed Samir Khan, an American citizen from Saudi Arabia who, along with Awlaki, was an editor and publisher of AQAP's magazine, Inspire.

On 12 December a prison break in Aden freed up to 15 AQAP members. The prisoners had escaped via a 40-metre long tunnel.

2012

AQAP guards standing out of one of their buildings.

On 16 January, AQAP seized the town of Rada'a, Al-Bayda, just 100 miles south of Sana'a. A group of 200 fighters had stormed the town, freed at least 150 prisoners, killed 2 soldiers in clashes with the army and secured multiple weapons caches and military vehicles. With mounting tribal pressure, the group withdrew from Rada'a on 25 January after they reached an agreement with the government to release 15 of their fighters.

Main article: Battle of Dofas

On 4 March, Ansar al-Sharia launched an attack on military artillery units in Dofas, a town located on the outskirts of Zinjibar. Fighters had attacked the base from the east to draw a response from the army before launching a larger attack from the west. The battle killed 187 soldiers and injured at least 135, with the militants seizing weapons, heavy artillery and tanks from the military.

Main article: Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen § Second Battle of Lawdar

On 7 April, AQAP attempted to gain control of Lawdar, a town close to Zinjibar that possesses an important strategic position between multiple governorates. Fighters surrounded the town before invading it, but the military and allied tribesman maintained a stiff defense. By 13 April at least 200 were killed in the battle, with AQAP forces suffering repeated losses within the town, forcing them to retreat to the neighbouring mountains. Fighting resumed on 18 April when AQAP attacked the town with mortar shells, triggering air strikes from the government. The army captured the nearby Yasouf mountains on 17 May, forcing AQAP forces to flee.

Main article: 2012 Abyan offensive

The Yemeni government launched an offensive in Abyan on 11 May in order to drive out AQAP forces from key cities. Over 20 and 21 May, 33 AQAP fighters and 19 soldiers would be killed from clashes in Ja'ar. On 21 May, a man wearing a belt of explosives carried out a suicide attack on military personnel preparing for a parade rehearsal in Sana'a for Unity Day. The attack killed over 90 people and injured 200 more. Ansar al-Sharia claimed responsibility for the attack as a response to the government offensive in Abyan. On 24 May, AQAP launched a counter-attack on the army in Ja'ar through the Wadi Bana. The attack resulted in the deaths of 35 of their fighters, bringing the total count to 215. Yemeni forces then proceeded to take control of Wadi Bana. By 3 June, Yemeni forces had pushed into central Zinjibar, while clashes were occurring near the western edge of Ja'ar. On 11 June the Yemeni Air Force launched attacks on the north and west of Ja'ar, killing 16 militants, while land forces were preparing to capture a key hilltop factory overlooking the town. On 12 June, both Zinjibar and Ja'an were confirmed as completely recaptured by the Yemeni government, with AQAP forces withdrawing to nearby Shuqrah. On 15 June, army forces took control of Shuqrah after a battle which killed 40 militants. Shuqrah was constituted as AQAP's last major population centre in Abyan. On 23 June, with mounting military and tribal pressure, AQAP fled Azzan into neighboring provinces. With this, AQAP lost their last stronghold in the south. Mines placed by retreating AQAP forces lead to 73 civilian deaths in the liberated cities by 26 June.

On 18 June, an AQAP suicide bomber assassinated Yemeni general Salem Ali Qatan in Aden. Qatan had led the Abyan offensive which expelled AQAP forces from key cities in the governorate. The assassin detonated his explosive belt next to a vehicle transporting Qatan, killing him as well as 2 other soldiers, along with injuring 12.

On 10 October, AQAP gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed the US embassy's head of security, Qassem Aqlan, while he was travelling in a vehicle in Sana'a.

2013

Main article: Battle of Radda

On 27 April, AQAP fighters attacked a military checkpoint in Rada'a, killing 5 soldiers and suffering 2 deaths. The same day, AQAP gunmen on a motorcycle assassinated the intelligence chief of Mukalla.

On 17 July, deputy leader of AQAP Said al-Shihri was killed in a US drone strike in Saada governorate. He was speaking on his cellphone when the attack took place. Shihri had previously been declared "dead" by the Yemeni government on 10 September and on 24 January, though this was dispoven in both instances. In this case, an AQAP message officially announced that he had died.

On 19 July, a gunman shot and killed a member of the Popular Resistance Committees in Mudiyah, Abyan before fleeing. AQAP was suspected of conducting the attack.

On 11 August, a suspected AQAP attack near a gas plant in Shabwah killed 5 soldiers. The attackers opened fire on a military checkpoint near the Balhaf terminal before fleeing.

On 20 September, AQAP launched coordinated attacks on different military encamptments across Shabwah, killing at least 38 and wounding dozens. A suicide bomber rammed their vehicle into one site at a base in al-Mayfa'a district after militants overpowered the guards. Firefights in another site of the base lead to more casualties. A car bomb at a base in al-Ain district exploded prematurely, leading to a heavy firefight which resulted in the militants multiple soldiers and vehicles. 8 AQAP fighters were killed in the battle.

A prison break plot in Sana'a involving nearly 300 AQAP members was foiled on 22 October. The inmates attacked guards with knifes and iron bars before seizing their weapons and taking multiple guards hostage. Clashes with prison guards thwarted their attempts to flee, with the inmates releasing the hostages the next day.

On 26 November, two Belarusian defence contractors were shot and killed by gunmen riding on a motorcycle. AQAP was suspected of conducting the attack. In response, the government of Sana'a banned motorcycles in the city for a two-week period.

On 5 December, an AQAP attack on the Yemeni Defense Ministry in Sana'a involving a series of bombings and gun attacks killed at least 56 people. After footage of the attack was aired on Yemeni television showing the destruction of a hospital within the ministry compound and the killing of medical personnel and patients, AQAP emir Qasim al-Raymi released a video message apologizing, claiming that the team of attackers were directed not to assault the hospital in the attack, but that one had gone ahead and done so.

2014

On 24 March, AQAP gunmen in multiple vehicles opened fire on a military checkpoint in Hadhramout, killing 20 Yemeni soldiers.

A series of US airstrikes and Yemeni ground raids from 19 to 21 April in Abyan and Shabwah killed close to 55 AQAP members. In retaliation, AQAP killed 4 security officials over the next day.

On 29 April, the Yemeni government launched an offensive against AQAP strongholds in Abyan and Shabwah governorates. The offensives specifically targeted al-Mahfad district in Abyan and the town of 'Azzan in Shabwah, where AQAP forces still lingered despite previous offensives. The same day, the army reported killing 8 AQAP militants and suffering 3 deaths, while an AQAP ambush on a convoy in Shabwah killed 15 soldiers. On 3 May, 5 militants were killed in by airstrikes in Shabwah. The next day, the military reported killing 20 AQAP members and wounding dozens more. By 8 May, the army had secured al-Mahfad and Azzan.

After being driven out of the southern areas of the country over the past two years, AQAP began regrouping in the eastern Hadhramaut governorate of Yemen, where they prepared for the establishment of another "emirate". On 22 July, the group began distributing leaflets across the governorate ordering people to adhere to their law.

On 9 May, at least 4 Yemeni soldiers were killed in a skirmish when a vehicle attacked the gates of the Presidential Palace in Sana'a. Authorities claimed that AQAP was responsible.

On 25 June, AQAP launched an attack on Seiyun airport, Hadhramaut. Gunmen stormed the airport, killing 3 soldiers and briefly seizing it before army reinforcements resecured it, killing 6 of the militants and capturing 4.

On 4 October, an AQAP attack in al-Bayda city killed at least 9 people. AQAP had attacked the city as they saw "sympathetic" to the Houthis.

On 15 October, Houthis and AQAP forces clashes in Rada'a, killing at least 10 people. The clashes had occured after the Houthis had attempted to take control of areas surrounding the town. The same day, the Houthis had seized the AQAP stronghold of Ibb. Further clashes occurred on 16 October, killing another 10 Houthi fighters. AQAP also released a statement the same day claiming to have captured Odien, a small town close to Ibb, for a short time in order to not let the Houthis seize it. By 27 October, the fighting had killed more than 250 people, as AQAP recruited more Sunni tribesmen against the Houthis, who at that point occupied a large portion of the city. On 10 November, AQAP launched a counter attack on the Houthis in Rada'a after the Houthis had taken it, killing at least 30 people, while a truce was signed between AQAP and the Houthis in Odien.

Main article: 2014 hostage rescue operations in Yemen

On 26 November, United States Navy SEALs from DEVGRU collaborated with Yemeni special forces in a hostage rescue mission in order to free American journalist Luke Somers, along with multiple other hostages held by AQAP. The mission took place in Hadhramaut along the border with Saudi Arabia. The team engaged AQAP in a firefight near a cave housing the hostages, killing 7 militants. The raid rescued 8 hostages of various nationalities, but they did not include Somers, who was moved to another area alongside 4 other hostages days before the raid. Later in December, AQAP published a video threatening to kill Somers within 72 hours of its release. Another rescue mission then occurred on 6 December in southern Shabwah. 40 SEALs backed by Yemeni special forces attempted to infiltrate the AQAP compound housing the targets, but they were spotted about 100 metres away, leading to heavy skirmishes. Upon entering the compound, 2 hostages, including Somers, were found shot, while the fate of the 3 others are unknown. Both hostages eventually died while being transported.

On 16 December, AQAP attempted a car bombing against Houthi gathering points in Rada'a. One bomb made it to the target, but another bomb came short, exploding next to a school bus. The bombings killed 31 people altogether, 20 of them children.

On 31 December, a suicide bombing occured in Ibb during a Mawlid festival, killing 49 Houthi fighters and wounding 70. AQAP was predicted to be the perpetrator, seeing that the festival was organized by Houthi supporters and officials.

2015

Capture of Mukalla

Main article: Battle of Mukalla (2015)

On 2 April 2015, AQAP fighters stormed the coastal city of Mukalla, capturing it on 16 April after a two-week long battle. The seizure served as AQAP's larged success to date, being that Mukalla is the capital of Hadhramaut and the sixth-largest city in Yemen. The group seized government buildings and used trucks to cart off more than $120 million from the central bank, according to the bank's director. AQAP forces soon passed control to a civilian council, giving it a budget of more than $4 million to provide services to residents of the city. AQAP maintained a police station in the city to mediate Sharia disputes but avoided imposing its rule across the city. AQAP refrained from using its name, instead of using the name the 'Sons of Hadhramaut' to emphasize its ties to the surrounding province.

Fall of Zinjibar and Jaar

On 2 December 2015, the provincial capital of Abyan governorate, Zinjibar, and the town of Jaʿār were captured by AQAP fighters. Like Al Mukalla, AQAP forces soon passed control to a civilian council, police patrols and other public services.

2016

Southern Abyan Offensive

On 20 February 2016, AQAP seized the southern Abyan governorate, linking them with their headquarters in Mukalla.

Liberation of Mukalla

Main article: Battle of Mukalla (2016)

On 24 April 2016, the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces entered Mukalla and commenced operations against AQAP, liberating Mukalla in 36 hours. The operation was hailed by US Defence Secretary James Mattis as a model of fighting terrorism.

Mukalla was then used as a base of operations by the UAE Armed Forces and Joint Special Operations Command, allowing the CIA to target AQAP strongest cells in Yemen.

2017

On 29 January, DEVGRU conducted a raid in al-Ghayil, a town in the Yakla region of al-Bayda. The raid was authorized in order to collect key AQAP documents and information, as well as the possibility of neutralizing AQAP leader Qasim al-Raymi, whom UAE intelligence suggested could be present. Originally meant to be unexpected, AQAP prematurely detected the SEALs, eventually leading to a heavy firefight in the village which claimed the life of 1 American soldier and wounded 5 others. 14 AQAP fighters were killed along with "valuable information" being gathered, but al-Raymi was not killed or captured in the raid. Additionally, at least 16 civilians were killed, including the eight-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, Nawar.

On 23 May, DEVGRU conducted another raid against AQAP in Ma'rib governorate, targeting a compound of the group. The US reported the deaths of 7 AQAP members and no civilians casualties, however, UK-based human rights group Reprieve reported that the raid had killed 5 civilians and wounded 6, with SEALs killing a blind villager as he walked out of his home and killing 4 more after they began arguing with them after the fact.

2018

In August 2018, Al Jazeera reported that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition "battling Houthi rebels secured secret deals with al-Qaeda in Yemen and recruited hundreds of the group's fighters. ... Key figures in the deal-making said the United States was aware of the arrangements and held off on drone attacks against the armed group, which was created by Osama bin Laden in 1988."

According to the Associated Press, the Saudi-led coalition "cut secret deals with al-Qaeda fighters, paying some to leave key cities and towns and letting others retreat with weapons, equipment and wads of looted cash... hundreds more were recruited to join the coalition itself."

2019

On 7 April 2019, UAE and Security Belt forces launched a large anti-terror military campaign to clear a number of mountains and valleys located in the Mahfad town, then a key hideout of AQAP militants. UAE-backed Yemeni security forces succeeded in seizing arms and ammunition, including hand grenades, improvised explosive devices and communication equipment and AQAP militants fled to other areas.

On 2 August 2019, AQAP fighters stormed a military base in al-Mahfad district, remaining for several hours before military reinforcements drove them out. The attacks killed at least 19 soldiers.

On 30 August 2019, UAE airstrikes on AQAP in southern Yemen targeted a number of moving vehicles carrying AQAP members.

In September 2019, AQAP took advantage and deployed across Abyan and Shabwah in southern Yemen following the UAE draw down from Yemen and increased infighting between Houthis and Hadi forces. According to a local Yemeni official, the absence of the Shabwani Elite security units, that had been trained and equipped by the UAE, enabled AQAP to gain a foothold in the turbulent Shabwah again.

2020

On 31 January 2020, The New York Times reported three U.S. officials "expressed confidence" that Qasim al-Raymi was killed in an airstrike on 29 January in Yalka, al-Bayda. His death was later confirmed by the White House on 6 February and by AQAP on 23 February, with Khalid Batarfi being named his successor.

On 21 April, Houthi forces uploaded a video claiming to have captured a base of Ansar al-Sharia in al-Jawf governorate, amidst a wider offensive in the region against the Yemeni government. The video appeared to show explosive belts, ammunition, AQAP flags and documents.

The Houthis launched an offensive in al-Bayda governorate on 15 May as an extension of its offensive against the Yemeni government in al-Jawf. AQAP traditionally maintained a stronghold in the northwest al-Qayfa tribal area and wider al-Quraishyah District of the governorate. Due to this, AQAP shifted its main focus away from the Islamic State and towards Houthi forces, attempting to attract anti-Houthi tribes in the al-Bayda. By 11 August, the Houthis had been advancing rapidly towards northern al-Bayda, and by 19 August they had claimed to secure Wald Rabi' and al-Quraishyah districts. By the end of August, the Houthis had evicted AQAP out of many areas of al-Qayfa, dealing a major blow to the group.

On 15 August, AQAP killed and crucified dentist Motthar al-Youssoufi in As Sawma'ah, al-Bayda, accusing him of spying for the US government. On 25 August, they destroyed his clinic with explosives.

2021

Since AQAP was expelled from the al-Qayfa district in the northwestern region of al-Bayda in 2020, its activities in 2021 were largely confined to the Al-Sawma'ah, Dhi Na'im and Mukayras districts in the southeast, near the borders of Abyan and Shabwah. Despite their defeat in the governorate, almost 60% of AQAP activities were reported to be in al-Bayda. The group continued their campaign of retrenchment, reporting the lowest level of activity in several years.

On 4 February, a UN report indicated that Khalid Batarfi had been detained and imprisoned since October of the previous year after an operation in Ghayda City, Al-Mahrah governorate. AQAP later released a video featuring Batarfi to disprove their claim.

2022

Since 2022, AQAP has gradually shifted its activities towards the southern portion of Yemen after failure to regroup in the north, with more than 70% of the group's activities taking place in Abyan and Shabwah. After June 2022, there have been no recorded violent interactions between Houthi forces and AQAP. This may be the realization of a possible strategic shift within the group since 2020, whereby AQAP's main targets are now the Southern Movement and the Yemeni government, rather than Houthi forces. This change in strategy may be the result of AQAP's growing influence under Saif al-Adel, an Egyptian citizen based in Iran with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

AQAP kidnapped 5 workers a part of the UN Department of Security and Safety in Abyan on February 11. The group demanded a ransom and the release of numerous members imprisoned by the government of Yemen. The workers were eventually released in August 2023.

On 15 April, a prison break occurred in Seiyun, Hadhramaut governorate, allowing 10 AQAP members to escape. The prisoners collaborated with a few guards and AQAP militants from the outside, staging a fight before overpowering the guards and fleeing.

Large clashes occurred between AQAP and Security Belt forces on 6 May north of Dhale, Dhale governorate. AQAP members arrested by the Security Belt refused to disarm themselves once they arrived at Security Belt headquarters, leading to a battle which killed 2 Security Belt commanders and 7 AQAP fighters.

On 22 June, AQAP was suspected of launching attacks in both Abyan and Shabwah Governorates that killed 10 Yemeni army soldiers altogether. An ambush on a military convoy in Abyan killed 5, while an attack on a checkpoint in Ataq, Shabwah killed another 5.

In August 2022, the once-vaunted Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was shown to be greatly weakened when none of the group's leaders were deemed potential successors to Ayman al-Zawahiri as leader of al-Qaeda following his death. According to a UN report published in February 2023, Al-Adel is also said to have succeeded al-Zawahiri at al-Qaeda's center, likely further expanding his influence over AQAP.

The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) launched Operation Arrows of the East after the conclusion of a larger offensive against government allies on August 22, with the goal of expelling AQAP from Abyan governorate. The operation occurred amid a power vacuum within areas of Abyan which the pro-Yemeni government al-Islah party retreated from due to STC advances. The STC entered the governorate through Shuqrah and proceeded to push towards Lawdar as well as the border with Shabwah. In retaliation, AQAP activities surged heavily, with the group carrying out numerous attacks against STC forces, such as an attack on the Security Belt Forces in Ahwar district on September 6 which killed 21 STC soldiers and 6 AQAP fighters.

On 9 October, a roadside bomb detonated in Wadi Omran, leaving 4 Yemeni army soldiers dead along with several others injured. AQAP was responsible for the bombing, though authorities were unsure if the bomb was planted recently or before the group was defeated in the area.

Current (February 2024) political and military control in the ongoing Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)

  Controlled by Al-Qaeda (AQAP)-affiliated Ansar al-Sharia

  Controlled by Houthis

  Controlled by Saudi-backed Hadi loyalists

  Controlled by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council

2023

On 11 June, AQAP claimed responsibility for an attack on a military outpost in Shabwah, killing 2 Yemeni army soldiers and wounding 3. The attack was seen as a display of strength by AQAP despite its losses from the STC operation the previous year.

On 1 August, an AQAP attack in Wadi Omran left at least 5 STC soldiers and wounded another 4. The attackers utilized mortars, artillery and rocket-propelled grenades before retreating.

On 10 August, an AQAP bombing of a Security Belt convoy passing through Abyan left 3 soldiers and commander Abdullatif Al-Sayed dead.

2024

In an announcement on 10 March, AQAP reported the death of emir Khalid Batarfi, along the selection of his successor Sa'ad bin Atef al-Awlaki. The announcement did not provide a cause as to how Batarfi died, leading to speculation that he had died by natural causes.

On 24 March, AQAP ambushed an STC patrol in Wadi Omran, triggering a firefight which killed 2 soldiers and wounded 4. The militants also burned the vehicle of the patrol group.

On 29 April, an AQAP IED attack targeted an STC military vehicle in Mudiyah District, Abyan. The blast reportedly killed six soldiers belonging to the Southern Armed Forces and wounded 11 others.

Ansar al-Sharia carried out a drone strike on UAE-backed forces in Wadi Omran. The attack was carried out with a UAV armed with a common modified air-dropped 40x53mm M430A1 pattern (HEDP) grenade on July 2024.

A suicide car bomb carried out by AQAP on 16 August against the STC targeted the military barracks of the Security Belt Backup and Support Forces' 3rd Brigade in Mudiyah, Abyan. The attack resulted in 16 soldiers killed and over 20 injured. The bombing served as the group's first suicide attack since March 2022.

Operations and activities outside of the Arabian Peninsula

2009

On 1 June, American citizen Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad (formerly Carlos Leon Bledsoe) carried out a drive-by-shooting on a US army recruiting office in Little Rock, Arkansas, killing a soldier and injuring another. Muhammad had moved to Yemen in 2007, accepting a job to teach English. He was arrested by Yemeni authorities in 2008 for overstaying his visa and forging Somali identification papers, potentially in order to train with al-Shabaab. He was deported back to America in 2009. In a note requesting a plea deal from the judge, he claimed to be a member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, though authorities and the lead prosecutor suspected that he had acted alone.

In the aftermath of the shooting at Fort Hood, Texas on 5 November, the FBI revealed that the shooter, Major Nidal Hasan, had communicated with Anwar al-Awlaki via emails from December 2008 to some time in 2009, though officials at the time didn't perceive it as a threat. The emails reportedly contained "social and religious guidance", but no evidence that the attack was directed by Awlaki or a foreign group.

On 25 December, Nigerian student Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to bomb Northwest Airlines Flight 253 while it approached its destination in Detroit, Michigan. As it prepared to land, Abdulmutallab tried to detonate PETN explosives attached to his underwear, but the device failed to detonate properly. AQAP took responsibility for the attempted bombing on 28 December, claiming that they supplied the explosives to the perpetrator along with instructions to detonate it. Abdulmutallab had previously travelled to Yemen multiple times before the incident, once in 2005 in order to study Arabic, and again in the fall of 2009, meeting with and likely planning the bombing with various AQAP members, including Anwar al-Awlaki.

2010

A cargo plane bomb plot was discovered on 29 October, when two packages containing plastic explosives were found on cargo aircraft, based on intelligence received from government intelligence agencies, in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The packages originated from Yemen, and were addressed to outdated addresses of two Jewish institutions in Chicago, Illinois, one of which was the Congregation Or Chadash, an LGBT synagogue. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula took responsibility for the plot. It posted its acceptance of responsibility on a number of radical Islamist websites monitored by the SITE Intelligence Group and the Nine Eleven Finding Answers Foundation, and wrote:

We will continue to strike blows against American interests and the interest of America's allies.

It also claimed responsibility for the crash of a UPS Boeing 747-400 cargo plane in Dubai on 3 September. The statement continued:

...since both operations were successful, we intend to spread the idea to our mujahedeen brothers in the world and enlarge the circle of its application to include civilian aircraft in the West as well as cargo aircraft.

American authorities had said they believed that al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was behind the plot. Officials in the United Kingdom and the United States believe that it is most likely that the bombs were designed to destroy the planes carrying them.

In November, the group announced a strategy, called "Operation Hemorrhage", which it said was designed to capitalize on the "security phobia that is sweeping America." The program would call for a large number of inexpensive, small-scale attacks against United States interests, with the intent of weakening the U.S. economy.

2012

American and Saudi intelligence agencies foiled an AQAP plot to smuggle a bomb onto a plane bound to the United States on 8 May. The CIA had detected the plot by mid-April, and dispatched an operative to pose as a suicide bomber for the group, requesting them to give him their explosives, which were promptly turned over to the CIA. The bomb was manufactured by Ibrahim al-Asiri.

2015

On 7 January, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi attacked the Paris headquarters of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 French civilians and injuring another 11. Before the shooting took place, the French-born brothers of Algerian descent stated they were members of "al-Qaeda in the Yemen", to an eyewitness. Reports after the event indicated that the brothers had previously visited AQAP in Yemen in for several months in 2011 and 2012. On 9 January, AQAP confirmed responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo shooting in a statement from top Shariah cleric Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari. The motive for the attack was to "gain revenge for the honor" of Islamic prophet Muhammad, who was mockingly depicted in a cartoon published by the newspaper.

2019

On 6 December, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani attacked Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, killing 3 people and injuring 8. The Saudi-Arabian gunman was a second lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force and was undergoing flight training at the base. AQAP released a message on 2 February claiming responsibility for the shooting. The FBI later confirmed these claims on 18 May 2020, after breaking into Alsharami's phone and uncovering significant connections between him and AQAP since 2015.

Ansar al-Sharia

AQAP fighters in Yemen.

Main article: Ansar al-Sharia (Yemen)

In the wake of the 2011 Yemeni Revolution and the Battle of Zinjibar, an Islamist insurgent organization called Jama'at Ansar al-Shari'a (Arabic: جماعة أنصار الشريعة; Jamāʿat Anṣār aš-Šharīʿa), also known as Ansar al-Shari'a, emerged in Yemen and seized control of areas in the Abyan and surrounding governorates in southern Yemen and declared them an Islamist al-Qaeda Emirate in Yemen. There was heavy fighting with the Yemeni security forces over the control of these territories, with Ansar al-Sharia driven out of most of their territory over 2012.

In April 2011, Shaykh Abu Zubayr Adil bin Abdullah al-Abab, AQAP's chief religious figure, explained the name change as a rebranding exercise: "the name Ansar al-Sharia is what we use to introduce ourselves in areas where we work to tell people about our work and goals."

On 4 October 2012, the United Nations 1267–1989 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee and the United States Department of State designated Ansar al-Sharia an alias for AQAP, with the State Department describing it as an attempt to attract followers in areas of Yemen where AQAP had been able to establish territorial control and implement its interpretation of Sharia.

U.S. drone strikes

Main article: Targeted killing

US Air Force Predator drone.

A CIA targeted killing drone strike killed Kamal Derwish, an American citizen, and a group of al-Qaeda operatives (including Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi) in Yemen in November 2002. Drones became shorthand in Yemen for a weak government allowing foreign forces to have their way.

On 30 September 2011, a US drone attack in Yemen resulted in the death of Anwar al-Awlaki, one of the group's leaders, and Samir Khan, the editor of Inspire, its English-language magazine. Both were US citizens.

The pace of US drone attacks quickened significantly in 2012, with over 20 strikes in the first five months of the year, compared to 10 strikes during the course of 2011.

Over the period 19–21 April 2014, a series of drone attacks on AQAP killed dozens of militants, and at least 3 civilians. A spokesperson for the Yemeni Supreme Security Committee described the attacks, which included elements of the Yemeni army as well as US drones, as "massive and unprecedented". The attacks were alleged to have targeted AQAP leadership, with a major AQAP base in Wadi al-Khayala reported to have been destroyed.

From 1 through 8 March 2017, the US conducted 45 airstrikes against AQAP, a record amount of airstrikes conducted against the group by the US in recent history. The airstrikes were reported to have killed hundreds of AQAP militants. The US continued its airstrikes afterward. Around 1–2 April 2017, the US carried out another 20 airstrikes, increasing the total number of airstrikes against AQAP in 2017 to 75, nearly double previously yearly record of 41 airstrikes in 2009.

On 31 August 2019, at least 40 al-Qaeda operatives were killed in airstrike carried out by the United States on a training camp in presence of the leaders of Hurras al-Deen, Ansar al-Tawhid and other allied groups in Syria.

Senior leaders

Name	Position	Situation
Nasir al-Wuhayshi †	Former Emir and founder of AQAP	Founder and former Emir of AQAP. Deputy Emir and general manager of al-Qaeda. Killed in a drone strike in June 2015.
Qasim al-Raymi †	Former Emir and former military commander	Senior military commander in AQAP. In 2007, he and AQAP leader Nasir al-Wuhayshi announced the emergence of al-Qaida in Yemen, AQAP's predecessor group. He played an important role in recruiting the current generation of militants making up the Yemen-based AQAP. Succeeded Nasir al-Wuhayshi as leader of AQAP. Killed in a drone strike in late January 2020.
Khalid Batarfi#	Former Emir and former senior commander	Led jihadist fighters in their takeover of Yemen's Abyan Governorate in 2011, where he was accorded the position of emir. Former senior military strategist and commander for AQAP forces in Hadhramaut Governorate and coordinated AQAP forces in the Battle of Mukalla. Succeeded Qasim al-Raymi as leader of AQAP. Died in March 2024.
Sa'ad bin Atef al-Awlaki	Emir and former senior commander	Succeeded Khalid Batarfi as leader of AQAP.
Said Ali al-Shihri †	Former Deputy Emir	Deputy Emir and highest ranking Saudi official in AQAP. Was a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay until released to Saudi Arabia in November 2007. Killed in a drone strike in 2013.
Mohamed Atiq Awayd Al Harbi	Field commander	Was a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay until released to Saudi Arabia in November 2007. Surrendered to Saudi authorities in Yemen in February 2009.
Jalal Bala'idi  †	Operational commander	Senior military commander in AQAP. He played an important role during the AQAP battles in the Abyan province. Killed in a drone strike in February 2016. Succeeded by his brother Tawfiq Bala'idi.
Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan †	Operational commander	Senior military commander in AQAP. Killed in a drone strike in April 2012.
Ibrahim Sulayman Muhammad al-Rubaysh †	Mufti	He was reported to be AQAP's mufti. Also served as a senior advisor for AQAP operational planning, and was involved in the planning of attacks. Detaineed at Guantanamo Bay until December 2006 when he was handed over to Saudi Arabian authorities, he subsequently escaped to Yemen. Killed in a drone strike in April 2015.
Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi †	Senior sharia official	Al-Ansi was a senior ranking Shari'a official within AQAP. He claimed responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo shooting on behalf of AQAP. Killed in a drone strike in April 2015.
Anwar al-Awlaki †	Chief of External Operations	Senior recruiter and involved in organizing external operations to be conducted for AQAP. Killed in a drone strike in September 2011.
Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari †	Senior sharia official	Senior ranking Shari'a official within AQAP. He rebuked the Islamic State announcement of expanding their caliphate into Yemen and renewed loyalties to al-Qaeda and its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Killed in a drone strike in January 2015.
Ibrahim al-Banna	Chief of Security	Has served as AQAP's chief of security. He is a founding member of AQAP and provides military and security guidance to the AQAP leadership.
Fahd al-Quso †	Operational commander	Wanted by the United States for his involvement in the USS Cole bombing in Aden, Yemen on 12 October 2002. Killed in a drone strike in May 2012.
Shawki al-Badani †	Operational commander	Played a key role in a plan for a major attack in summer 2013 that led the United States to close 19 diplomatic posts across the Middle East and Africa. Killed in a drone strike in November 2014.
Othman Ahmad Othman al-Ghamdi †	Operational commander	Al-Ghamdi was involved in raising funds for the organization's operations and activities in Yemen. He first appeared in a video released in May 2010, where he was identified publicly as AQAP's operational commander. He was a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay detention camp from April 2006 to June 2006 until he was handed over to Saudi Arabian authorities and subsequently released. Killed in a drone strike in Yemen in February 2015. AQAP confirmed al-Ghamdi's death in September 2018.
Samir Khan †	Editor and publisher of Inspire magazine	Khan was the editor and publisher of Inspire magazine, an English-language online magazine published by AQAP. Killed in a drone strike in September 2011.
Ibrahim al-Asiri †	Explosives expert	Al-Asiri was the chief bomb-maker and weapons specialists for AQAP. He was reported to have been responsible for making the bombs used by his brother Abdullah al-Asiri in his suicide bombing, the 2009 Christmas Day bomb plot, the 2010 cargo plane bomb plot, and the May 8th 2012 Terror Plot. Killed in a drone strike in late 2017.
Ibrahim al Qosi	Senior sharia official	Al-Qosi was a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay from January 2002 to July 2012 until he was handed over to Sudan after serving a short sentence as part of a plea bargain.

Members

The group has taken advantage of Yemen's "slow collapse into near-anarchy. Widespread corruption, growing poverty and internal fragmentation have helped make Yemen a breeding ground for terror." More than two years later, on 25 April 2012, a suspected US drone strike killed Mohammed Said al-Umdah, a senior AQAP member cited as the number four in the organization and one of the 2006 escapees. He had been convicted of the 2002 tanker bombing and for providing logistical and material support.

Yemeni analyst, Barak Barfi, discounted claims that marriage between the militant group and Yemeni tribes is a widespread practice, though he states that the bulk of AQAP members hail from the tribes.

AQAP is a popular choice for radicalized Americans seeking to join Islamist terror organizations overseas. In 2013 alone, at least three American citizens or permanent residents — Marcos Alonso Zea, Justin Kaliebe, and Shelton Thomas Bell — have attempted to join AQAP. They count among over 50 Americans who have attempted to join terrorist groups overseas, including AQAP, since 2007.

Reportedly, as many as 20 Islamist British nationals traveled to Yemen in 2009 to be trained by AQAP. In February 2012, up to 500 Internationalistas from Somalia's Al Shabaab, after getting cornered by a Kenyan offensive and conflict with Al Shabaab national legions, fled to Yemen. It is likely that a number of this group merged with AQAP. The following is a list of people who have been purported to be AQAP members. Most, but not all, are or were Saudi nationals. Roughly half have appeared on Saudi "most wanted" lists. In the left column is the rank of each member in the original 2003 list of the 26 most wanted.

Most wanted	English	Arabic	Notes
	Yousif Saleh Fahd al-'Uyayri (or Ayyiri, etc.)	يوسف صالح فهد العييري	leader, writer, and webmaster, killed June 2003 in Saudi Arabia
3	Khalid Ali bin Ali Hajj	خالد علي بن علي حاج	leader, killed in Riyadh March or April 2004
1	Abdulaziz Issa Abdul-Muhsin al-Muqrin	عبد العزيز عيسى عبد المحسن المقرن	leader, killed in Riyadh 18 June 2004
5	Saleh Muhammad 'Audhuallah al-'Alawi al-Oufi	صالح محمد عوض الله العلوي العوفي	leader, killed 17 or 18 August 2005 in Medina
2	Rakan Muhsin Mohammed al-Saikhan	راكان محسن محمد الصيخان	killed 12 April 2004 in Riyadh
7	Saud Hamoud 'Abid al-Qatini al-'Otaibi	سعود حمود عبيد القطيني العتيبي	senior member, one of 15 killed in a 3-day battle in Ar Rass April 2005
4	Abdul Kareem Al-Majati	عبد الكريم المجاطي	Moroccan, killed with Saud al-Otaibi at Ar Rass, was wanted in the USA under the name Karim El Mejjati
6	Ibrahim Muhammad Abdullah al-Rais	إبراهيم محمد عبدا لله الريس	killed 8 December 2003 in Riyadh
8	Ahmad Abdul-Rahman Saqr al-Fadhli	أحمد عبدالرحمن صقر الفضلي	killed 22 April 2004 in Jeddah
9	Sultan Jubran Sultan al-Qahtani alias Zubayr Al-Rimi	سلطان جبران سلطان القحطاني	q.v., killed 23 September 2003 in Jizan
10	Abdullah Saud Al-Siba'i	عبد الله سعود السباعي	killed 29 December 2004
11	Faisal Abdul-Rahman Abdullah al-Dakhil	فيصل عبدالرحمن عبدالله الدخيل	killed with al-Muqrin
12	Faris al-Zahrani	فارس آل شويل الزهراني	ideologue, captured 5 August 2004 in Abha
13	Khalid Mobarak Habeeb-Allah al-Qurashi	خالد مبارك حبيب الله القرشي	killed 22 April 2004 in Jeddah
14	Mansoor Muhammad Ahmad Faqeeh	منصور محمد أحمد فقيه	surrendered 30 December 2003 in Najran
15	'Issa Saad Muhammad bin 'Ushan	عيسى سعد محمد بن عوشن	ideologue, killed 20 July 2004 in Riyadh
16	Talib Saud Abdullah Al Talib	طالب سعود عبدالله آل طالب	at large; (last of the original 26)
17	Mustafa Ibrahim Muhammad Mubaraki	مصطفى إبراهيم محمد مباركي	killed 22 April 2004 in Jeddah
18	Abdul-Majiid Mohammed al-Mani'	عبد المجيد محمد المنيع	ideologue, killed 12 October 2004 in Riyadh
19	Nasir Rashid Nasir Al-Rashid	ناصر راشد ناصر الراشد	killed 12 April 2004 in Riyadh
	Sultan bin Bajad Al-Otaibi	سلطان بن بجاد العتيبي	spokesman and writer for al-Qaeda, killed 28 or 29 December 2004
20	Bandar Abdul-Rahman Abdullah al-Dakhil	بندر عبدالرحمن عبدالله الدخيل	killed December 2004
21	Othman Hadi Al Maqboul Almardy al-'Amari	عثمان هادي آل مقبول العمري	recanted, under an amnesty deal, 28 June 2004 in Namas
22	Talal A'nbar Ahmad 'Anbari	طلال عنبر أحمد عنبري	killed 22 April 2004 in Jeddah
23	'Amir Muhsin Moreef Al Zaidan Al-Shihri	عامر محسن مريف آل زيدان الشهري	killed 6 November 2003 in Riyadh
24	Abdullah Muhammad Rashid al-Rashoud	عبد الله محمد راشد الرشود	q.v., ideologue, killed May or June 2005 in Iraq
25	Abdulrahman Mohammad Mohammad Yazji	عبدالرحمن محمد محمد يازجي	killed 6 April 2005
26	Hosain Mohammad Alhasaki	حسين محمد الحسكي	Moroccan, held in Belgium
	Turki N. M. al-Dandani	تركي ناصر مشعل الدندني	cell leader, a former # 1 most wanted, died by suicide July 2003 in al-Jawf
	Ibrahim bin Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad al-Muzaini	إبراهيم بن عبد العزيز بن محمد المزين	killed with Khalid Ali Hajj
	Abdul-Rahman Mohammed Jubran al-Yazji	عبدالكريم محمد جبران اليازجي	killed 2 June 2004 in Ta'if
	Mohammed Othman Abdullah al-Waleedi al-Shuhri	محمد عثمان عبدالله الوليدي الشهري
	Mansour Faqeeh	منصور فقيه	surrendered
	Hamid Fahd Abdullah al-Salmi al-Shamri	حمد فهد عبدالله الأسلمي الشمري
	Ahmad Nasser Abdullah al-Dakhil	أحمد ناصر عبدالله الدخيل	(dead)
	Turki bin Fuheid al-Mutairi a/k/a Fawaz al-Nashimi	تركي بن فيهد المطيري	killed with al-Muqrin
	Jubran Ali Hakmi	جبران علي حكمي
	Hani Said Ahmed Abdul-Karim al-Ghamdi	هاني سعيد أحمد عبد الكريم الغامدي
	Ali Abdul-Rahman al-Ghamdi	علي عبد الرحمن الغامدي	surrendered 26 June 2003
	Bandar bin Abdul-Rahman al-Ghamdi	بندر عبد الرحمن الغامدي	captured September 2003 in Yemen and extradited to KSA
	Fawaz Yahya al-Rabi'i	فواز يحيى الربيعي	q.v., killed 1 October 2006 in Yemen
	Abdul-Rahman Mansur Jabarah	عبدالرحمن منصور جبارة	"Canadian-Kuwaiti of Iraqi origin", dead according to al-Qaeda; brother of Kuwaiti-Canadian Mohamed Mansour Jabarah
	Adnan bin Abdullah al-Omari		captured somewhere outside KSA, extradited to KSA November 2005
	Abdul-Rahman al-Mutib		killed in al Qasim December 2005
	Muhammad bin Abdul-Rahman al-Suwailmi, alias Abu Mus'ab al-Najdi	محمد بن عبد الرحمن السويلمي	killed in al Qasim December 2005
According to Saudi authorities, these 12 died or were killed while committing the Riyadh compound bombings on 12 May 2003. Several were previously wanted.
	Khaled Mohammad Muslim Al-Juhani	خالد محمد مسلم الجهني	leader of this group
	Abdul-Karim Mohammed Jubran Yazji	عبد الكريم محمد جبران اليازجي
	Mohammed Othman Abdullah Al-Walidi Al-Shehri	ومحمد عثمان عبد الله الوليدي الشهري
	Hani Saeed Ahmad Al Abdul-Karim Al-Ghamdi	هاني سعيد أحمد عبد الكريم الغامدي
	Jubran Ali Ahmad Hakami Khabrani	جبران علي أحمد حكمي خبراني
	Khaled bin Ibrahim Mahmoud	خالد بن إبراهيم محمود	called "Baghdadi"
	Mehmas bin Mohammed Mehmas Al-Hawashleh Al-Dosari	محماس بن محمد محماس الهواشلة الدوسري
	Mohammed bin Shadhaf Ali Al-Mahzoum Al-Shehri	محمد بن شظاف علي آل محزوم الشهري
	Hazem Mohammed Saeed	حازم محمد سعيد	called "Kashmiri"
	Majed Abdullah Sa'ad bin Okail	ماجد عبدالله سعد بن عكيل
	Bandar bin Abdul-Rahman Menawer Al-Rahimi Al-Mutairi	بندر بن عبد الرحمن منور الرحيمي المطيري
	Abdullah Farres bin Jufain Al-Rahimi Al-Mutairi	عبدالله فارس بن جفين الرحيمي المطيري
	Abdullah Hassan Al Aseery	عبد الله حسن عسيري	Died trying to assassinate a Saudi prince in October 2009.
The following five were reported killed in Dammam in early September 2005.
	Zaid Saad Zaid al-Samari		a former most wanted, killed by Saudi forces in 2005
	Saleh Mansour Mohsen al-Fereidi al-Harbi
	Sultan Saleh Hussan al-Haseri
	Naif Farhan Jalal al-Jehaishi al-Shammari
	Mohammed Abdul-Rahman Mohammed al-Suwailmi
	Abu Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi		Former Guantanamo captive who appeared in threatening YouTube video in January 2009, and who voluntarily turned himself in to Saudi authorities a month later.
	Anders Cameroon Østensvig Dale, also known as Abu Abdurrahman – al Faranghi		A convert; he is imprisoned in Yemen (as of Q1 2023); allegedly trained as a bombmaker—hunted by CIA, MI5 and Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste, since 2012.

See also

• Barry Walter Bujol

Bibliography

• Johnsen, Gregory (2012). The Last Refuge: Yemen, al-Qaeda, and America's War in Arabia, Scribe, Melbourne. ISBN 9781922070012.

Further reading

• Peter Knoope, "AQAP: A Local Problem, a Global Concern". The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2013.

External links

• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Archived 2017-05-15 at the Wayback Machine, Council on Foreign Relations
• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Counter Extremism Project
• AQAP in Yemen, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
• Al-Qa‘ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), U.S. National Counterterrorism Center
• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110203072433/http://armiesofliberation.com/archives/2008/09/21/al-qaeda-in-yemen-timeline/, Jane Novak, Armies of Liberation, 21 September 2008
• Profile: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, BBC News, 31 October 2010
• Factbox: AQAP, Al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, Reuters, 22 March 2011