Tag Archives: Houthis

Houthis Capture Aden, What’s Next For The Saudis?

Houthi rebels seized the Maasheeq presidential palace in Aden after an intense battle through the city’s commercial center today, despite stiff resistance from Saudi air support over the past two days. Early reports about a possibly Saudi-led amphibious landing at Aden were false; a port official indicates that the warship was a Chinese vessel sent to the area to evacuate foreign nationals. The loss of Aden, the last real stronghold of pro-Hadi forces, is a major blow to the Saudi-led coalition. Fighting is still underway as loyalist forces still maintain control of several sectors of Aden. As long as Aden remains in rebel hands, President Hadi will find it nearly impossible to return to Yemen. Furthermore, with Aden in Houthi control, Iran may find it a convenient port and base for any operations near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, and to protect shipping from east Africa to Iran.

The fall of Aden comes just hours after Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula conducted a raid on the Hadrawmawt prison complex in the coastal city of Mukalla in southeast Yemen. 300 prisoners were freed, including Al-Qaeda top regional commander Khalid Batarfi. Whatever the ideological leanings of the prisoners, past events have shown that these prison breaks make excellent recruitment opportunities for Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda militants were also able to seize Mukalla’s radio headquarters and also engaged in combat with security forces throughout the city.

Saudi Arabia has also confirmed the first Saudi casualty since their entrance into the conflict a week ago. Border guard Cpl. Ali Yahya al-Maliki was confirmed killed along with ten other Saudis wounded when his observation post in Asir province was fired upon. With the situation in Yemen deteriorating even further, and the inability of the airstrikes to put an end to the Houthi rebellion, Saudi Arabia and their Gulf State allies may be forced to send ground troops into Yemen.

Top AQAP Commander Freed Amid Yemen Unrest

The Saudi-led airstrikes continue all across Yemen against Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels while the terrorist group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was able to capture the port city of Al-Mukalla. The capture of Al-Mukalla also led to the release of about 300 AQAP militants from the Central Prison, including Khaleed Saeed Batarfi.

Batarfi is an al-Qaeda senior commander in charge of the southeastern province of Yemen, a former member of the militant’s shura council, and is responsible for al-Qaeda’s social media propaganda. Batarfi was arrested while traveling to Taiz, Yemen in 2011. At the time he was found possessing a computer, grenades, an automatic weapon, a GSM phone chip and instructions on how to build explosives.

Khaled Saeed Batafi’s true name is Ayman Saeed Abdullah Batarfi. Batarfi was a detainee of Guantanamo Bay since his capture in Afghanistan in 2002 until April 2009 when President Obama’s questionable new procedures were put in place to review and analyze current GITMO prisoners. The decision for release also came days before Mr. Batarfi’s habeas corpus hearing was scheduled challenging his imprisonment.

According to his GITMO Assessment, Batarfi has a mental history of paranoid schizophrenia.  Before his imprisonment, he was a chief medical examiner for the al-Wafa NGO, an Al-Qaeda and Taliban linked medical organization which operated out of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Batarfi provided extensive assistance to Yazid Sufaat, one of al-Qaeda’s anthrax researchers in Afghanistan who also participated in the planning behind the September 11th attacks. Batarfi’s intelligence value was marked as “HIGH” by GITMO officials possibly due to the fact that he had distinct knowledge of Usama bin-Laden and information regarding Al Qaeda’s anthrax program.

Terrorists groups like AQAP use prison breaks to free loyalists, as well as force common criminals to join the ranks as foot soldiers in exchange for their release. Abdullah al Sharafi, a Yemeni defense ministry official, said that about one-third of the extremists who were freed were AQAP militants.   During the assault, four prison guards, five prisoners, and three extremists were killed in the crossfire.

Al-Mukalla is the capital city of the eastern province Hadramaut and had been under the control of Yemeni security forces that still remained loyal to exiled President Hadi. The fall of President Hadi’s government can be seen as a major loss in President Obama’s counterterrorism effort against AQAP. AQAP is still widely considered Al Qaeda’s strongest branch, with the greatest ability to target the United States’ homeland, despite the Islamic State’s monopolization of media attention.

Saudi-led airstrikes are now focusing on Aden in the hope that they can repel the Houthis in order for Yemeni President Hadi to make a possible return.

Hadi had fled the capital city of Sana’a when Houthis announced their formal takeover in February and installed a government to be led by 5 executive Houthi members.  The United States evacuated Yemen on March 20th after AQAP fighters launched an attack on the city of al-Houta. With the United States emergency evacuation, they have lost all of their intelligence capabilities to monitor AQAP along with their capacity to monitor the power struggle in Yemen.

Saudis Pound Yemen as Houthis Seek Strategic Territory

Saudi Arabia Leads Offensive in Yemen Against Houthis

Saudi Arabia continued airstrikes Friday for a third straight day against the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels as part of Operation Decisive Storm. The kingdom is leading a coalition composed of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, Pakistan, and Egypt – all Sunni countries – to support recently ousted Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government and counter Iran’s growing regional influence.

The airstrikes began on Wednesday, a day after Saudi Arabia moved heavy military equipment to its 1,100-mile southern border with Yemen. Riyadh has strongly asserted that Hadi is the legitimate leader of Yemen and that the Houthis’ coup is causing its neighboring country chaos.

The Saudi airstrikes have targeted Houthi camps in the north, where the Shiite rebels are based and more stable, and in the south where the rebels are advancing to gain more territory and consolidate their power. The coalition is also targeting supporters of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Republican Guard troops are believed to still be loyal to Saleh, and Saleh has been aligned with the Houthis following his ouster from power during the Arab Spring.

Iran has called the airstrikes an invasion, violating Yemen’s sovereignty, and a ‘dangerous step’ as Saudi Arabia threatens to use ground troops.

The Houthi militants are advancing towards Aden, the southern port city, where Hadi recently fled to after his ouster. He arrived Thursday in Riyadh en route to an Arab League summit in Egypt on Saturday.

Beyond being the temporary base for Hadi’s government, Aden is a strategic asset. It lies on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, where the Gulf of Aden meets the Red Sea, which then flows through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and Europe. This sea-lane is essential for the shipment of numerous goods, including oil. The Gulf Arab states use this route from the Persian Gulf to ship much of their oil.

Given that Yemen is so close to touching Djibouti on the African continent, if the Houthis/Iran control Aden and southern Yemen, they could block that narrow bit of waterway to control the entire critical water passage. Such a scenario would have immense economic and strategic effects on the world. In 2013, 3.8 million bbl/d of crude oil and refined petroleum went through this path to Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

The situation in Yemen also has significant importance for the geopolitical struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia along with the moderate Sunni Arab states and is hurting America’s ability to counter al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. With Saudi Arabia showing no signs of slowing down its offensive and Iran unlikely to stop its aggression, Yemen will continue to be a proxy war between both sides and of central importance to the dynamics of the Middle East.

Houthis Grab US Intel

US intelligence officials recently revealed that the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have managed to acquire important intelligence files on informants and counter-terrorist operations in Yemen when the Houthis seized the Yemeni capital of Sana’a back in September. Furthermore, the officials also claim that the Houthis have handed over relevant files to their Iranian backers. Yemeni intelligence services had detailed files due to the Hadi government’s close cooperation with the United States in combatting Al-Qaeda. As Sana’a fell, Yemeni intelligence officers were able to destroy some files but were unable to destroy them all. However, the Yemenis did not have access to direct US intelligence files.

Unsubstantiated reports state that President Hadi has fled Yemen, and the Saudis have launched airstrikes against the Houthi rebels while moving troops to the Yemeni border. Saudi Arabia of course has a major incentive to keep Iran away from its borders.

Saudi Military Buildup By Yemen Border May Mean Intervention

United States officials confirmed on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia is moving artillery and other heavy military equipment to its southern border with Yemen. This action comes as the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels, who took over Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, in September and replaced the country’s legitimate government in January, push southward towards the city of Aden.

While multiple U.S. officials have described the Saudis’ military buildup as defensive, one government source said it is “significant” and could be a step in preparation for airstrikes to protect Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi if the Houthis get to Aden. Such a Saudi military offensive would not be unprecedented, as the Kingdom launched one into Yemen in 2009.

Hadi, who is supported by the U.S. and still considered Yemen’s legitimate leader, has been based in Aden ever since fleeing Sana’a earlier this year. This past weekend, the Houthis took the central city of Taez, the gateway to Aden, and are advancing to Hadi. The president reportedly fled his palace today, however, as Houthis offered money for his capture and arrested his defense minister. It is unclear where Hadi currently is.

Yemen has descended into chaos since the Houthi coup d’état. The Shiite rebels, based in the north, are battling al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which operates from the south. Additionally, Islamic State (ISIS) has established a presence in Yemen as well, only increasing violence as it launches sectarian attacks against Shia, including civilians. Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the south, and the Kingdom is very worried that the civil war developing in Yemen will spill over the 1,100-mile border, including into the oil-rich, Shiite eastern parts of Saudi Arabia.

On a strategic level, the situation in Yemen is a microcosm of the larger geopolitical conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia along with the moderate Sunni Arab states. The Houthis, as an Iranian proxy, represent Tehran’s aggression and attempt to surround the Kingdom in pursuit of regional hegemony. Saudi Arabia leads the Sunni Arab opposition to Iran’s ambitions and warned, “If the Houthi coup does not end peacefully, we will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region.”

Beyond geopolitics, both Shia and Sunni are invested into Yemen for theological reasons. Yemen has an important position in both Iranian and al-Qaeda/ISIS jihadist eschatology, adding another element to this Iran-Arab conflict.

Saudi Arabia’s military buildup also comes after Hadi asked the 15-member United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution authorizing “willing countries” to support his government against Houthi aggression. Riad Yassin, Yemen’s Foreign Minister also called for Arab military intervention today and asked for the U.N. and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to impose a no-fly zone on parts of Yemen to prevent the Houthis from using airports they have seized.

The situation in Yemen has caused the U.S. to abandon its embassy in Sana’a and withdraw all military personnel in recent days. Furthermore, the Houthis’ takeover has greatly compromised America’s ability to carry out drone strikes against AQAP and our ability to gather intelligence on the ground there. These facts, combined with Tehran’s aggression, Riyadh’s growing vulnerability, and ISIS’s recent arrival, create an increasingly worrisome situation for American interests in Yemen.

Chaos in Yemen as Sunni Terrorists Retaliate Against Iranian-Backed Houthis

On March 20th, suicide bombers killed more than 100 people and wounded hundreds more at two major mosques in Yemen’s capital of Sana’a during midday prayers. Up to four men targeted the Al Badr Mosque and Al Hashoosh Mosque, both of which are under control of the Zaidi Shiite, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

It is not clear yet who is responsible for the attack, but experts say it resembles prior al-Qaeda bombings. Supporters of the Islamic State (ISIS), however, claimed responsibility via social media on Friday, but there have been no official announcements from the jihadist group. If this claim were true, it would be ISIS’s first big attack in Yemen.

These bombings occurred the day after conflict in the southern city of Aden between the Houthis and forces still loyal to Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, where warplanes targeted the presidential palace. President Hadi, who is supported by the United States, has been based in Aden ever since leaving Sana’a when the Houthis ousted him and took over Yemen’s government earlier this year.

There has been an escalation of violence in Yemen ever since the Houthis seized power, particularly because al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the terrorist group’s most effective branch based in the southern part of Yemen, has repeatedly battled with the Iranian proxy, based primarily in the northern part of the country.

AQAP has carried out terrorist attacks against the Houthis on several occasions while the Shiite rebels are trying to strengthen their position by seizing more territory and stamp out those who oppose their rule. Regardless of who wins, the situation is detrimental to U.S. interests. Al-Qaeda is a jihadist terror group seeking to ultimately destroy western civilization while the Houthis are an arm of Iranian expansion throughout the region, whose slogan is, “Allah is the greatest of all, Death to America, Death to Israel, A curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.”

To make matters worse, ISIS now has a presence in Yemen, indicating that the group is expanding its reach. In fact, some supporters of AQAP renounced their loyalty to al-Qaeda and pledged it to ISIS last month. According to CNN, the group has a presence in at least three provinces in southern and central Yemen. If ISIS was responsible for the March 20th bombings, it is a troubling indicator that the group is increasing its presence there, eyeing Yemen as the next target for the growing caliphate.

While there is no real ideological difference between the al-Qaeda and ISIS views of the Houthis, ISIS is known to emphasize the targeting of the “rafidah” (derogatory name for Shia) to a far greater extent than al-Qaeda. As a result, ISIS may be well positioned to take advantage of any anti-Houthi backlash from the majority Sunni Yemeni population. The rivalry between both militant Sunni groups adds another dynamic to the already complicated situation on the ground.

The March 20th attack on the two Houthi-controlled mosques in Sana’a is a continuation of what is already occurring in Yemen but may be an indication of more violence to come. The Houthis and AQAP are battling for supremacy, and the introduction of ISIS into the picture only complicates and worsens matters.

The United States has no good options in Yemen, especially after abandoning its embassy there, but it must monitor the situation and ideally continue to carry out drone strikes against AQAP while trying to limit Houthi (Iranian) expansion. One fact is certain, though; President Barack Obama’s strategy in Yemen, which he touted a few months ago as successful, has failed.

U.S. Abandons Embassy in Yemen as Iranian Proxy Gains Control

After already operating with a very reduced staff, the United States evacuated its embassy in Yemen earlier this week. The State Department officially announced the closure late Tuesday night, citing security risks given a deteriorating political situation inside the country.

The Houthis, a Shiite rebel group in Yemen supported by Iran, have taken control of the government in a coup d’état following the September 2014 seizure of Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, and after violating a U.N.-brokered peace accord, which effectively isolated Yemen’s western-backed president, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, despite maintaining the pretense of political power.

The coup culminated in late January when the rebels pressured, effectively at gunpoint, President Hadi and the cabinet of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah to resign. The Houthis officially dissolved the parliament last week, and have called for the creation of the Transitional National Council to replace Yemen’s parliament and to elect the Presidential Council.

The situation in Yemen is especially severe given the Houthi’s backing from Iran and endorsement of Iran’s anti-American, anti-Semitic Islamic revolutionary ideology. The rebels’ slogan, roughly translated from Arabic, is “‘Allah is greater. Death to America. Death to Israel. A curse on the Jews. Victory to Islam.”’ This rhetoric is identical to that of jihadists carrying out terrorist attacks around the world, and this group will be replacing a government that the U.S. had supported.

Another reason for the U.S. to be fearful of this new Yemen is the strong presence of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in the country’s south. AQAP is considered the terrorist network’s most effective branch. President Hadi helped the U.S. fight al-Qaeda, but it is unclear what Yemen will look like with Shia jihadists controlling the government in the north and much of Sunni AQAP operating in the south.

It is in this security environment that the U.S. evacuated its embassy in Yemen. Britain and France quickly followed suit, and both the Iranians and Houthis are critical of these closures while seeing recent events as a sign of Iranian expansion. Iranian Armed Forces’ Chief of Staff General Hassan Firouzabadi called these embassy closures a conspiracy saying that Yemen and Sanaa are safe and stable unless Americans and Europeans interfere. A senior Iranian diplomat called these western responses “hasty and purposeful.”

The Houthis had similar reactions, calling the actions “unjustified.” Hussein al-Ezzi, the Shia militia’s head of foreign relations, echoed this sentiment declaring the closures an attempt to pressure the Yemeni people.

But despite this anger, the Iranians are clearly ecstatic regarding their Shia allies’ control of Yemen. Major General Ghasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Qods Force, called the Houthis taking power evidence of [Iran’s] Islamic Revolution spreading throughout the Middle East. While Iran and the Houthis are using accusatory rhetoric, they are pleased with how events have turned out in Yemen.

U.S. Embassy personnel did not want to add to this pleasure by leaving weapons and military equipment behind for the Houthis. Reports have alleged, however, that the State Department ordered the marine security detachment guarding the embassy in Yemen to surrender their arms to local authorities before departure. The Marine Corps has denied this, saying no weapons were surrendered.

The marines did destroy larger weapons systems and classified documents but kept their smaller weapons. It does appear that the marines had to hand over smaller arms to local authorities since weapons are not allowed on commercial flights. The Houthis also took about 30 American vehicles left behind from the evacuation, which the State Department said is unacceptable.

The closure of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen is a further sign of the country’s chaotic condition and its effects on the Middle East. Now that Yemen is governed by the Iranian-backed Houthis, America has lost an ally to Tehran’s influence. With AQAP also an issue, the country seems poised to fall further into disarray. But out of all the rubble, one fact is clear: Iran is expanding its reach, trying to gain regional hegemony before America’s eyes.