Battle of Al-Masini Valley

Battle of Al Masini valley
	Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present),; the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, and Hadramaut Insurgency
Date	17–18 February 2018
Location	Masini valley, Hadramaut Governorate, Yemen
Result	Coalition victory Al-Masini Valley cleared of AQAP;
Belligerents
al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula	Hadrami Elite Force; United Arab Emirates
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Maj. Gen. Faraj al-Bahsani
Units involved
Sons of Hadhramaut	Hadrami Elite forces
Strength
unknown	unknown
Casualties and losses
19 killed	8 killed

The Battle of Al Masini Valley, code named Operation Al Faisal by the Saudi-led coalition, was an operation conducted by the UAE-backed Hadhrami Elite Force with backing from the UAE Armed Forces to clear the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) controlled stronghold of Al-Masini Valley in central Hadhramaut governorate.

Background

After being ousted from their emirates in Abyan and Shabwah governorates in 2012 through a government offensive, AQAP began shifting activities to the eastern Hadhramaut governorate.^[3] AQAP captured much of Hadhramaut including its capital of Mukalla in 2015 amid the breakout of the Yemeni civil war.^[4] Mukalla, along with most of Hadhramaut was recaptured by the Yemeni army along with coalition forces in 2016.^[5] After being ousted from power, AQAP continued maintaining a presence in the governorate, waging an insurgency against the government and the coalition.

Al-Manisi Valley was an AQAP stronghold in central Hadhramaut used as an operation room for its activities in the region.^[6]

Battle

On 16 February 2018, the Hadrami Elite Force surrounded Al-Manisi Valley.^[7] The next day, the Hadrami Elite, backed by coalition aircraft and UAE ground support, launched a preemptive attack from three axles that laid siege to Al-Manisi.^[8]^[9] By 18 February, Hadrami Forces had entered the valley and began to slowly retake all areas in and around it. On 18 February, Hadhrami Elite Forces were pushing into the valley from the lower and western entrance.^[10] Following fierce fighting over the day, AQAP forces retreated as Hadrami forces gained full control of the valley and began pursuing them. After AQAP had completely fleed, Yemeni security forces established military posts and patrols around the area.^[11]^[6]

Aftermath

After capturing the valley, security forces confiscated equipment and ammunition used by AQAP. This included large caches of ammunition, mortar guns and missiles.

The governor of Hadhramaut, Major General Faraj Al-Bahsani, declared that the operation was a success and that others like it will follow until the region was fully rid of AQAP.^[12]

References

^ "UAE-backed Yemen force captures Al-Qaeda stronghold". Archived from the original on 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
^ "Hadramaut elite forces clear al-Qaeda outpost". Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ Mukhashaf, Mohammed; Bayoumy, Yara (2014-07-22). "Yemen's al Qaeda wing seeks to set up 'emirate' in east". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ Al Batati, Saeed (2015-09-16). "Yemen: The truth behind al-Qaeda's takeover of Mukalla". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ "Yemen conflict: Troops retake Mukalla from al-Qaeda". BBC News. 2016-04-25. Archived from the original on 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ ^a ^b "Yemen's Wadi Al Masini liberated from Al Qaeda". The National. 2018-02-23. Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ al-Tamimi, Nabil (2018-02-20). "Hadramaut elite forces clear al-Qaeda outpost". Al-Mashareq. Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ "التحالف العربي يطلق "عملية الفيصل" لتطهير حضرموت". Al Watan Al Arabi (in Arabic). 18 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
^ "Supporter by UAE, Arab Coalition starts 'Al Faisal Operation' against Al Qaeda strongholds". Gulf Today. 2018-02-17. Archived from the original on 2018-04-08. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
^ "اليمن.. النخبة الحضرمية تُواصل عملية الفيصل ضد القاعدة في حضرموت". Sabq Online Newspaper (in Arabic). 2018-02-18. Archived from the original on 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ Mohamed, Mubarak (2018-02-23). "UAE-backed Yemen force captures Al-Qaeda stronghold". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
^ Hatem Mohamed (2018-02-22). "Yemen's Wadi Al Masini liberated from Al Qaeda". Emirates News Agency. Archived from the original on 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2018-04-30.

14°39′54″N 48°54′00″E / 14.665°N 48.900°E / 14.665; 48.900

[Anadolu_Agency-1] "UAE-backed Yemen force captures Al-Qaeda stronghold". Archived from the original on 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2024-09-26.

[Al-Mashareq-2] "Hadramaut elite forces clear al-Qaeda outpost". Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[3] Mukhashaf, Mohammed; Bayoumy, Yara (2014-07-22). "Yemen's al Qaeda wing seeks to set up 'emirate' in east". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[4] Al Batati, Saeed (2015-09-16). "Yemen: The truth behind al-Qaeda's takeover of Mukalla". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[5] "Yemen conflict: Troops retake Mukalla from al-Qaeda". BBC News. 2016-04-25. Archived from the original on 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[:0-6] "Yemen's Wadi Al Masini liberated from Al Qaeda". The National. 2018-02-23. Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[7] -Tamimi, Nabil (2018-02-20). "Hadramaut elite forces clear al-Qaeda outpost". Al-Mashareq. Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[8] "التحالف العربي يطلق "عملية الفيصل" لتطهير حضرموت". Al Watan Al Arabi (in Arabic). 18 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2024-09-26.

[9] "Supporter by UAE, Arab Coalition starts 'Al Faisal Operation' against Al Qaeda strongholds". Gulf Today. 2018-02-17. Archived from the original on 2018-04-08. Retrieved 2024-09-26.

[10] "اليمن.. النخبة الحضرمية تُواصل عملية الفيصل ضد القاعدة في حضرموت". Sabq Online Newspaper (in Arabic). 2018-02-18. Archived from the original on 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[11] Mohamed, Mubarak (2018-02-23). "UAE-backed Yemen force captures Al-Qaeda stronghold". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

[12] Hatem Mohamed (2018-02-22). "Yemen's Wadi Al Masini liberated from Al Qaeda". Emirates News Agency. Archived from the original on 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2018-04-30.

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v t e List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
1910s	Italo-Turkish War World War I Middle Eastern theatre Battle of Robat Karim Arab Revolt Armenian genocide Assyrian genocide Mount Lebanon starvation Unification of Saudi Arabia Simko Shikak revolt 1919 Egyptian revolution Turkish War of Independence Anglo-Turkish War Al-Jazeera Front Greco-Turkish War Turkish–Armenian War Franco-Turkish War Revolts United States Mahmud Barzanji revolts
1920s	Franco-Syrian War Iraqi Revolt (1920) Intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine Adwan Rebellion Arab separatism in Khuzestan Great Syrian Revolt Sheikh Said rebellion
1930s	Ararat rebellion Ahmed Barzani revolt Simele massacre Saudi–Yemeni War (1934) Goharshad Mosque rebellion 1935–1936 Iraqi Shia revolts 1935 Yazidi revolt 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine Dersim rebellion
1940s	World War II Italian bombing of Palestine Allied invasion of Iraq Syria–Lebanon campaign Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran 1943 Barzani revolt Al-Waziri coup Al-Wathbah uprising Kurdish separatism in Iran Iran crisis of 1946 Arab–Israeli conflict 1948 Arab–Israeli War Suez Crisis 1967 Six-Day War 1973 Yom Kippur War 1982 Lebanon War
1950s	1952 Egyptian revolution 1953 Iranian coup d'état Jebel Akhdar War Cyprus Emergency Suez Crisis Yemeni–Adenese clan violence 1958 Lebanon crisis 1958 Iraqi revolution 1959 Mosul uprising
1960s	Cyprus crisis of 1963–1964 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict First Iraqi–Kurdish War Second Iraqi–Kurdish War Dhofar Rebellion North Yemen Civil War Feb. 1963 Iraqi coup Mar. 1963 Syrian coup Nov. 1963 Iraqi coup Aden Emergency 1964 Hama riot Israeli–Palestinian conflict 1948 Palestine war First Intifada Second Intifada 1966 Syrian coup d'état
1970s	Black September in Jordan Yemenite War of 1972 Turkish invasion of Cyprus Shatt al-Arab clashes Lebanese Civil War Political violence in Turkey Islamist uprising in Syria 1977 Shia uprising in Iraq NDF Rebellion Yemenite War of 1979 Iranian Revolution Consolidation of the Iranian Revolution 1979 Qatif Uprising Grand Mosque seizure 1979–1980 Shia uprising in Iraq
1980s	Iran–Iraq War 1980 Turkish coup d'état Kurdish–Turkish conflict Turkey–PKK conflict South Yemen civil war 1986 Egyptian conscripts riot 1986 Damascus bombings 1987 Sharjawi coup d'état attempt Mecca massacre Abu Nidal's executions
1990s	Gulf War (1990–1991) 1991 Iraqi uprisings Terror campaign in Egypt (1990s) Yemeni Civil War (1994) Iraqi Kurdish Civil War Islamic insurgency in Saudi Arabia (2000–present) Operation Desert Fox al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen 1999 Shia uprising in Iraq
2000s	Iraq War Balochi insurgency in Iran 2004 Qamishli riots Houthi insurgency in Yemen Iran–Israel proxy conflict 2006 Lebanon War Fatah–Hamas conflict South Yemen insurgency
2010s	2011 Bahraini uprising Egyptian Crisis Sinai insurgency Insurgency in Egypt (2013–present) Syrian civil war Turkish involvement in Syria Syrian War spillover in Lebanon Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013) War in Iraq (2013–2017) Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) Yemeni crisis Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
2020s	2021 Beirut clashes Israel–Hamas war Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present) Red Sea crisis
This list includes World War I and later conflicts (after 1914) of at least 100 fatalities each Prolonged conflicts are listed in the decade when initiated; ongoing conflicts are marked italic, and conflicts with +100,000 killed with bold.