Al-Qaeda Resurfaces in Shabwah Amidst Houthi Losses, Fueling Collaboration Concerns
Al-Qaeda has resumed its armed activities in eastern Yemen, coinciding with escalating confrontations and significant losses for the Houthi militia on fronts in Taiz, the western coast, and other areas. This development raises serious questions regarding potential collaboration between the two groups and its implications for the security of regions under the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
On Thursday, two soldiers were killed and others wounded in a terrorist attack carried out by Al-Qaeda in the Khura area of Al-Markha Al-Sufla district in Shabwah Governorate, eastern Yemen. The attack targeted members of the security and military forces.
The Governor of Shabwah, Awad Mohammed bin Al-Wazir, condemned the attack, warning that the aggressions plaguing the governorate, which he attributes to Al-Qaeda, the Houthi militia, and their collaborators, aim to destabilize security and undermine the efforts of local authorities and security agencies. Governor bin Al-Wazir affirmed the local authority's commitment, in coordination with the security and military institutions, to pursue those involved in the attacks and enhance security, emphasizing that these aggressions will not deter the authorities from fulfilling their responsibilities.
This attack follows approximately 72 hours after a missile strike by the Houthi militia on the Martyr Ahmed Al-Sulaimani training center in Shabwah. According to official figures, the strike resulted in the deaths of over 53 new recruits for the internal security forces and injured more than 200 others. The internationally recognized Yemeni government described the Houthi attack as a "war crime," asserting that the targeted center was a training facility for security personnel and not a military site directly involved in combat operations.
Military and security sources have linked the surge in attacks in eastern governorates to the battlefield pressures facing the Houthi militia. They suggest that the concurrent activity of Al-Qaeda and the heightened Houthi casualties could serve to dissipate security and military efforts, thereby complicating the situation in government-controlled areas. These sources note daily Houthi casualties from confrontations in Taiz, as well as the targeting of Houthi positions, gatherings, reinforcements, and vehicles by warplanes and drones on other fronts, particularly in Marib and Al-Jawf.
These sources believe that the timing of these developments amplifies concerns that both sides may benefit from the diversion of government forces across multiple fronts. They point to alleged instances of collaboration between the Houthi militia and Al-Qaeda dating back to the Houthi takeover of Sana'a in September 2014, following the collapse of state institutions and the expansion of armed conflict. Reports indicate that Al-Qaeda leaders and members later appeared in field military positions within Houthi ranks, and some have been reintegrated into society through political fronts.
The Yemeni Center has previously reported names such as Ali Salem Al-Fathani (Abu Salem), Riad Al-Nahdi (Abu Omar), Abdullah Al-Mandhari (Abu Ammar), and Suleiman Al-Kindi (Abu Dawood Al-Sae'ri) as having been recruited in 2021. The sources also suggest that the militia benefited from its control over government prisons, which held dozens of Al-Qaeda members and leaders, in establishing communication channels and relationships between the two groups. Disparate deals between 2016 and 2021 reportedly led to the release of Al-Qaeda members and leaders, underscoring a convergence between the two entities amidst ongoing security threats in liberated areas.
Security concerns regarding Al-Qaeda's activities are concentrated in the mountainous and remote areas of Shabwah, Abyan, parts of Hadramaut and Marib, and Al-Bayda governorates. The rugged terrain offers a conducive environment for movement, entrenchment, and attacks against government forces, with many of the group's leaders and members originating from these regions. These targeted attacks could exacerbate pressure on security and military agencies, draining their resources while government forces face simultaneous challenges on fronts against the Houthis and extremist organizations.
Sources warn that the continuation of these attacks may provide the Houthis an opportunity to leverage Al-Qaeda's presence in government-controlled areas to present themselves internationally as a party fighting terrorism, while the government faces pressure due to the ongoing activity of the organization within its areas of influence. These developments indicate that the synchronized attacks by the Houthis and Al-Qaeda present the Yemeni authorities with intertwined security challenges, necessitating enhanced protection for facilities and security forces, and rigorous pursuit of armed groups.