The U.S. - Saudi Alliance To Combat Al Qaeda In Yemen

Saudi Jets Bolster US Drone Attacks On Yemen: Report -- France 24

AFP - Saudi Arabia has provided fighter jets to assist the United States with its drone strikes against Al-Qaeda targets in Yemen, the London Times reported on Friday.

US drones are backing Yemeni forces combating militants of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The group's Yemen branch is considered by Washington to be the most active and deadliest franchise of the global jihadist network.

The Times cited a US intelligence source as saying that "some of the so-called drone missions are actually Saudi Air Force missions".

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My Comment: I am not surprised by Saudi Arabia's involvement .... the last thing that they want is an Al Qaeda bastion on their border. What I am surprised about is that people are talking about it.

Al Qaeda Puts A Bounty On U.S. Ambassador In Yemen

U.S. Ambassador in Sanaa Gerald Feierstein speaks during his meeting with Yemen's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Mohammed Saeed al-Saidi in Sanaa May 2, 2012. (Reuters)

Al Qaeda's Yemen Branch Offers Bounty for Killing US Ambassador, Troops -- FOX News

Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen is offering a bounty of gold worth $160,000 to anyone who kills Gerald M. Feierstein, the U.S. ambassador to Yemen.

According to the Associated Press, the group announced that it will pay tens of thousands of dollars to anyone who kills the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa or an American soldier in the country.

The group offered 3 kilograms of gold, worth about $160,000, for killing Feierstein, and said it will pay 5 million Yemeni riyals ($23,000) for anyone who kills an American soldier.

The offer is valid for six months, the AP reported.

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Update #1: Al Qaeda offers bounty for killing U.S. diplomat -- CBS/AP
Update #2: Al-Qaida offers bounty for US ambassador in Yemen -- RT

My Comment: I guess the U.S. and its Ambassador are having an impact against Al Qaeda in Yemen.

When U.S. Drone Strikes Go Wrong

Yemeni protesters on the streets of Sanea during an anti-government demonstration in Radfan. Photo: Reuters

Villagers Join Al-Qaeda After Deadly US Strike -- Sydney Morning Herald

DHAMAR, Yemen: A rickety truck packed with 14 people rumbled down a desert road from the town of Radda, which al-Qaeda militants once controlled. Suddenly a missile struck flipping the vehicle over. Then a second missile hit the truck.

Within seconds, 11 of the passengers were dead, including a woman and her seven-year-old daughter. A 12-year-old boy also died that day, and another man later died from his wounds.

The Yemeni government initially said that those killed were al-Qaeda militants and that its own Soviet-era jets carried out the September 2 attack. But last week US officials acknowledged for the first time that it was an American strike and that the victims were civilians.

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My Comment: This is one of those "damn if you do, damn if you don't" situations. For the past few years Al Qaeda in Yemen has plotted (and tried) to carry out terror attacks against the West .... the West in turn had to respond .... hence the civilian casualties. But blow-back is a double edge sword .... Al Qaeda expects us to respond with their attacks, but we in turn must also be ready for their response after we have struck .... including from those who are caught in the crossfire in our conflict with Al Qaeda.

Life Under Al Qaeda Rule Was A Disater For One Yemen Province

Amputations, Beheadings And A Crucifixion: Horrific Stories From Yemen Where Al Qaeda Has Imposed Sharia Law -- Daily Mail

* Suspected sorcerer beheaded and alleged thief had hand amputated by Ansar al-Sharia militia
* Yemenis have suffered 'human rights catastrophe' in conflict between government and Al Qaeda group
* Dozens more killed during 'reckless' counter-insurgency by Yemen forces
* Charity says tragedy will 'haunt Yemen for decades' unless perpetrators are brought to justice

Al Qaeda committed 'truly shocking' human rights abuses including crucifixions and the beheading of an alleged sorceror during its 16 months in control of a southern region of Yemen, a report by Amnesty International claimed today.

The London-based charity has also released a video which appears to show a suspected thief having his hand amputated by the Ansar al-Sharia militia, which seized power of the Abyan governorate in February 2011.

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More News On What Life Was Like Under Al Qaeda Rule For One Yemeni Province

Yemen: New report documents 'human rights catastrophe' in Abyan region -- Amnesty International
Amnesty details 'horrific abuses' in southern Yemen -- CNN
Amnesty Details 'Horrific' Abuses in South Yemen -- ABC News/AP
Southern Yemen experienced human rights 'catastrophe' during al-Qaeda rule -- The Telegraph
Amnesty: Civilians suffered most in Yemen -- UPI
Yemen's Abyan saw 'rights catastrophe' says Amnesty -- BBC
Group details abuses in southern Yemen -- UPI

A Look At Al Qaeda In Yemen (Book Review)

'The Last Refuge': Yemen, Al-Qaida And The U.S. -- NPR

In December 2009, a would-be terrorist boarded a plane for Detroit with a bomb in his underwear. While the explosive failed to properly ignite and the man was arrested upon landing, the ensuing investigation revealed the bomb in question had been made by al-Qaida leaders in Yemen.

This attempted act of terrorism heralded both the small Arabian country's re-emergence into the international consciousness as a refuge for al-Qaida and the ascendance of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), developments that have grown only more pronounced since.

According to Gregory Johnsen, a journalist who has covered Yemen and Islamic insurgency in the Middle East extensively, al-Qaida's presence has tripled in size within Yemen over the past three years. Johnsen charts this growing influence on the country in his new book, The Last Refuge: Yemen, al-Qaeda, and America's War in Arabia.

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My Comment: Another commentary that dismisses the idea that Al Qaeda is battered can be read here.

Al Qaeda Shows It's Reach In Major Attack Against A Heavily Guarded Yemen Military Base

The attackers were said to have worn military fatigues and driven a stolen military vehicle [Reuters]

Deadly Blast Rocks Yemen Military Base -- CNN

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- At least 15 Yemeni troops were killed and more than a dozen injured when suspected al-Qaeda militants attacked a heavily guarded government military base in southern Yemen Friday, security officials said.

The attack started when militants drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into the base in Abyan province, three local security officials said. The vehicle detonated near a crowd of troops.

A gun battle then ensued between militants and troops, culminating in the deaths of all nine militant attackers, security officials said.

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More News On Today`s Al Qaeda Attack Against A Yemen Military Base

Suspected al Qaeda attack on Yemen army base kills 26 -- Reuters
Yemen soldiers killed in attack on south military base -- BBC
AQAP launches complex suicide assault on Yemeni Army base -- Long War Journal
Assault on Yemen base blamed on al-Qaeda -- Al Jazeera
Yemen attack on army base leaves dozens dead -- The Guardian
14 Soldiers and 12 Insurgents Killed in Battle in Yemen -- New York Times
Suspected militants target base in southern Yemen -- Deutsche Welle

Attack Against U.S. Drone Base In Yemen Foiled By Yemeni Soldiers

Yemeni Troops Foil Attack On Base Used By US Drones -- Long War Journal

The Yemeni military today prevented a terrorist suicide attack, and possibly a suicide assault, on an airbase in Lahj province that houses US military trainers as well as unmanned US strike aircraft, or drones. From the Yemen Post:

The Yemeni army thwarted on Saturday a suicide attempt against al-Anad air force located in South Yemen in which US soldiers are existed.

Military sources said that a bomb car managed to infiltrate into al-Qaeda in Lahj governorate with the aim of carrying out an suicide bombing, pointing out that it planned to target US soldiers who train Yemeni troops on counterterrorism.

"The car was seized while it was hidden under trees and it was ready to be exploded" they added. "The bombs were defused and the investigation on the care are ongoing."

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More News On Yemen Troops Foiling An Attack On A Base Used By US Drones

Yemen 'foils attack' at air base used by US -- BBC
Yemen foils car bomb attack on base used by US troops -- AFP
Yemen 'foils al-Qaeda plan to bomb air base' -- Al Jazeera
Yemen foils al Qaeda plan to bomb air base used by US -official -- Reuters
Yemen thwarts attempt to target air base -- Yemen Post

Someone Wants To Make A Pact With The Devil

Yemeni Leader Offers Conditional Dialogue With al Qaeda -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Yemen's president offered dialogue to Islamist militants including al Qaeda on Wednesday, but said they must agree first to put down weapons and reject support from abroad.

Restoring stability to Yemen has become an international priority given fears that jihadi fighters could entrench themselves in a country and threaten world No. 1 oil exporter Saudi Arabia next door and important world shipping lanes.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other Sunni Muslim militant groups including Ansar al-Sharia gained ground last year during a popular uprising that forced out veteran autocratic president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had been seen by Washington as its best ally in containing militants.

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My comment: This offer is meaningless. Al Qaeda has shown zero interest in having a "conditional dialogue" with the Yemen President.

Death Toll Rises To 45 In Yemen Suicide Bomb Attack

A man holds burnt garments at the site of a suicide bombing in Yemen's southern city of Jaar August 5. A suicide bomber struck at a wake in Jaar overnight, killing at least 35 people and wounding dozens more including the leader of a local group fighting al Qaeda-linked militants, officials and medics said on Sunday. Reuters

Suicide Bombers Kills 45 In Yemen, Weeks After Army Declared Victory -- Christian Science Monitor

The bomber targeted tribal fighters who sided with the Yemeni army during an offensive that ousted Al Qaeda-linked militants from strongholds in the south.

A suicide bomber struck at a wake in Yemen's southern city of Jaar overnight, killing at least 45 people and wounding dozens more, the defense ministry said, in the deadliest attack since the army declared victory over Islamist militants in June.

The bomber appeared to have been targeting the head of a group of tribal fighters that sided with the Yemeni army during an offensive that drove Al Qaeda-linked militants from their strongholds in the southern province of Abyan.

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More News On Yesterday's Suicide Bomb Attack In Yemen

Yemen: suicide bomber kills 45 people at funeral wake -- The Telegraph
Toll of Suicide Attack Rises to 45 in Yemen -- New York Times/AP
Suicide bomber kills at least 45 at wake -- Irish Times
Officials: Dozens killed in suicide attack at Yemen wake -- CNN
Suicide bomber kills at least 45 in south Yemen city -- The Independent
Yemen suicide bombing kills 42 -- The Australian
Suicide bomber kills at least 45 at Yemen funeral -- The National

Al Qaeda Suicide Bomber Kills 25 In Yemen

Yemen Suicide Bomber 'Kills 25' In Abyan -- BBC

A suspected suicide bomber has struck a village in the southern Yemeni province of Abyan, killing at least 25 people.

Dozens more were wounded in the attack on a funeral service in the city of Jaar, Yemeni officials said.

Military officials told Associated Press the funeral was for a man linked to militias which had helped the army in their fight against al-Qaeda.

They said five suspected al-Qaeda militants had been killed earlier in the day.

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More News On Saturday's Suicide bombing Attack In Yemen

Suicide bomber kills 25 in Yemen -- NBC
Suicide bomber strikes in Yemen -- Deutsche Welle
Suicide bomber kills 25 in S. Yemen -- International News
Al-Qaeda Suicide Bombing in Yemen Kills at Least 20 -- Bloomberg Businessweek