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Yemen Reinstates Officers in the South

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By William Tucker
Chief Correspondent for In Homeland Security

Shortly after the Yemeni civil way concluded in 1994, the government of Ali Abdullah Saleh forcibly retired the Southern Yemeni army leading to a lasting resentment towards Sana’a in general and Saleh in particular. When Saleh left the presidency after his lengthy rule, the calls for the southern army to be reinstated became louder and the al-Qaeda led mayhem only added to the urgency. In a decree issued today, Yemen’s President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi reinstated 600 officers and another 200 officers in the interior ministry. Truth be told this could be an opening to restoring a significant segment of the former military as they would need the officers to reorganize some sort of command structure before bringing in the rest. That remains to be seen, however as it is also possible that Hadi may just want to reinstate officers to function in a more domestic political fashion for reasons of stability. Either way, tensions between Yemen’s north and south have been tense for a myriad of reasons, but this gesture by Hadi could go a long way in mending the situation.

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AQAP Deputy Emir Reported Killed in Yemen

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By William Tucker

The Yemeni military has claimed via its website that former Guantanamo inmate and deputy emir of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Said al-Shihri was killed in an airstrike in Yemen’s Hadramawt province. This report has not been independently confirmed and al-Shihri has been reported dead on several occasions. Few details were given about the airstrike or how al-Shihri was identified.

Al-Qaeda Hits Yemen Police Academy

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By William Tucker

A suicide bomber struck a police academy in Sana’a Yemen killing eight and wounding another 15. As of this writing al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack; however AQAP has made numerous threats against the Yemeni government in response to the counterterrorism operations that have been ongoing since May. Furthermore, the tactics and target of today’s attack strongly suggest that AQAP was involved.

Yemeni Military Retakes Southern Cities

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By William Tucker

The Southern Yemeni cities of Jaar and Zinjibar were retaken by the Yemeni military. Details provided by the military suggest that some combat took place killing an estimated 24 militants, while some residents stated that the members of Ansar al-Sharia had left the previous night. It is not unusual for conflicting details to be presented during combat, but what is important is that the Yemeni government is reaserting control.

Suicide Bomber Hits Yemeni Military Parade

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By William Tucker

A suicide bomber dressed as a Yemeni soldier detonated his device in the midst of a paramilitary division that was rehearsing for tomorrow’s National Unity Day parade. The ministry of defense stated that over 90 were killed and a further 220 were wounded in the blast. There are reports that two other would be bombers were stopped before they could detonate their devices, but further information is not available.

Fierce Fighting in South Yemen

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By William Tucker

Just days after the U.S. reinstated military assistance to Yemen, the Yemeni military launched an offensive against Zinjibar in an attempt to remove the al-Qaeda militants that have held the city for the past year. Details of the battle are coming in slowly, but it does appear that both sides have sustained losses. In the neighboring provinces of Marhib and Shabwa, U.S. drone strikes continue to inflict losses.

CIA Disrupts AQAP Airline Plot

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By William Tucker

The Associated Press, claiming an exclusive, is reporting that the CIA disrupted another airline bombing plot that was supposed to be an improvement upon the failed attempt over Detroit in 2009. Like the previous attempt, this bomb was constructed to be worn in the carriers underwear, however the design was improved and reportedly did not contain any metal parts.

Despite airstrikes, AQAP remains viable in Yemen

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By William Tucker

The nation of Yemen has seen some rather significant political changes in 2012, but the most prominent is the resignation of long time strong man Ali Abdullah Saleh. Naturally, Saleh hasn’t completely been removed from the scene as he and his tribe still holds significant sway in Yemeni politics. That being said, Saleh’s resignation has largely overshadowed the continuous militant threat the nation faces.