Fall of Zinjibar and Jaar

Fall of Zinjibar and Jaar Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Members of AQAP in a checkpoint in Jaar April 28, 2012 Date 2–3 December 2015 (1 day) Location Zinjibar and Jaʿār, Abyan Governorate, Yemen Result AQAP victory Al-Qaeda decleres "Emirate of Jaar" and "Emirate of Zinjibar" Belligerents Al-Qaeda Emirate in Yemen AQAP Yemen Army (Hadi government) People's Committees Popular resistance Commanders and leaders Abu Hamza al Zinjibari Abd-al-Latif al-Sayyid † Abdullatif al-Sayed  (POW) Al-Khader Haidan[1] Ali al-Sayed  † Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties and losses 5+ killed 22+ killed

Yemeni Crisis Revolution (2011–12) Sa'dah 1st Sana'a Zinjibar Ta'izz Dammaj Transition and AQAP campaign (2012–13) Dofas Abyan (2012) Sana'a Radda (2013) Sana'a (2013) Houthi rebellion (2014–15) Dammaj Amran 2nd Sanaa Houthi takeover Rescue operations Rada' Ibb Sana'a Police Academy Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Aden Airport Sana'a mosques Ad Dali' Saudi-led intervention Aden 1st Abyan Lahij Najran Shabwah 1st Al Mukalla Ta'izz Ma'rib missile strike Sana'a mosque (2nd) Aden unrest (October 2015 - ) Aden hotel attack 1st Aden Aden Christian attack 2nd Aden 3rd Aden 4th Aden 5th Aden Zinjibar and Jaar Taiz missile strike Port Midi 2nd Abyan 2nd Al Mukalla 3rd Al Mukalla 4th Al Mukalla Sana'a funeral airstrike

In early December 2015, two Yemeni towns, Zinjibar (the provincial capital of Abyan Governorate) and Ja'ar (a town a few km inland to the north), were captured by the jihadist group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Zinjibar was retaken by pro-government forces 14 August 2016.^[2] This was the second capture and occupation of Zinjibar during unrest in Yemen. The town was earlier taken by AQAP’s in May 2011 and held until the summer of 2012.^[3]

Zinjibar is close to the port of Aden, and the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb,^[4] and between Aden and (what was) the AQAP's stronghold of Mukalla.^[5] The al Qaeda takeover of two towns has been seem by some as a demonstration of its interest in seizing territory and not just "conducting spectacular attacks against Western targets".^[3]

Importance

Zinjibar lies on the Gulf of Aden, about 54 km from Yemen's second city Aden, east of the "strategic" strait of Bab al-Mandab (about three million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily).^[4] Control of Ja'ar would also have made it easier for AQAP to bring supplies from its (former) stronghold of Mukalla, in Hadramawt province, to attack Aden.^[5]

2011-2 fighting

Zinjibar was under AQAP’s control from May 2011 until the summer of 2012, when they were driven out with the help of American airstrikes.^[1][3] In 2011, the "Yemeni Revolution" protest movement to end the 33 years of rule by President Ali Abdullah Saleh created a "power vacuum" in parts of Yemen. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters seized a number of towns in Abyan—including the city of Jaar in March 2011 and Zinjibar in May. They later captured a football stadium outside Zinjibar which they used as "a makeshift army base".^[4]

The "emirate" created by ASAP was noted as time when Al Qaeda sought to emphasize (and publicize in a media campaign) not strict sharia law, but "uncharacteristically gentle" good governance over conquered territory—rebuilding infrastructure, quashing banditry, and resolving legal disputes.^[6] However, "clemency drained away under the pressure of war".^[6] After months of fighting, by mid-2011 Aljazeera reported that "dozens have been killed and an estimated 54,000 civilians have fled Abyan," and that tribesman formerly allied with AQAP had switched sides and begun backed Yemeni forces in their quest take back Zinjibar from AQAP.^[4] According to New York Times correspondent Robert Worth, the failure of this gentle style of jihadi rule may have "taught" jihadis a lesson later demonstrated by ISIS, that fear and terror were needed to instill obedience and prevent neutral citizens under their rule from eventually becoming enemies.^[6]

Houthi

Houthi rebels later took control of Zinjibar, but in August 2015 fighters loyal to President Hadi, with the help of Saudi airstrikes, pushed the Houthi out of Zinjibar.^[3]

2015 battle

By early October 2015, AQAP fighters had reportedly captured some government buildings in Zinjibar, expelling government fighters and establishing Sharia courts.^[7] Using these strongholds al-Qaeda's fighters stormed Jaar and the rest of Zinjibar during the dawn of 1 December 2015. The towns were captured immediately with relatively little fighting, despite local reinforcements from commanders and troops loyal to Yemen's government.^[8] In 2 December, AQAP quit Jaar after a raid that left more than 15 Hadi loyalists and the Hadi loyal commander Ali al-Sayed dead. However, they reportedly returned the next morning.^[5][9] The local commander loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and at least 6 other fighters were reportedly killed in the battle fighting AQAP, along with at least five AQAP fighters.^[10]

Aftermath

After the complete fall of the two cities, al-Qaeda declared "Emirates" in the two towns providing civilian services, and establishing a Sharia court. The AQAP offensive was led by Abu Hamza al-Zinjibari, who was "emir" of the Abyan Governorate territory held by AQAP since the 2011 declaration of their Emirate. It is reported that AQAP plowed up the house of the local commander loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Some months later, in 27 of March, 2016, three suspected US drone strikes hit AQAP positions inside their government buildings onside Zinjibar, reportedly killing some 14 AQAP soldiers.^[11] Three days after the take over, AQAP issued a bounty of 7 million Yemeni riyals ($32,500) on the head of the pro-government Popular Committee,^[3] Abdullatif al-Sayed, alleging he had "stabbed the mujahedeen in the back".^[5]

The Yemeni government's preoccupation with fighting Houthi rebels prevented it from sending reinforcements from Aden to assist the Abyan fighters loyal to the government.^[1][12]

Retaking

On 14 August 2016, Yemeni government forces backed by Arab coalition aircraft and gunboats reportedly drove AQAP out of Zinjibar. The push to retake the town had encountered "repeated suicide attacks" against Yemeni forces.^[2]

See also

• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
• Battle of Zinjibar

References

Yemeni Civil War
Part of Aftermath of the 2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état
Past events	Battle of Amran Battle of Sana'a Battle of Radaa 2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état Abduction of Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak Battle of Sanaa Constitutional declaration for the Houthis Agreements Peace and national partnership agreement Agreement January 21, 2015
Battles	Battle of Aden Airport Battle of Aden Battle of Ad Dali' Lahij insurgency Battle of Marib (2015) Battle of Taiz Shabwah campaign Abyan campaign Other 2015 Sana'a mosque bombings Hota Massacre Battle of Al Mukalla (2015) Bombing Marzaq camp Bombing Dahra Battle of Al Mukalla (2016)
Parties and powers	Mansur Hadi Government Military of Yemen South resistance People's Committees in Yemen Southern Movement Yemen's tribes Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance Forces Fourth Military Region Armored brigade 35 111 Infantry Brigade Third Military Region 112 Infantry Brigade Houthis Government Revolutionary Committee Houthis Army Pro-Ali Abdullah Saleh Republican Guard Forces Republican Guard Special Operations Forces Special Security Forces Yemeni Air Force
People	Mansur Hadi Government Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi Khaled Bahah Mahmoud al-Subaihi Thabit Jawas Houthis Government and their allies Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi Abu Ali Al Hakim Mohammed Ali al-Houthi Saleh Al Samad Abdul-Khaliq al-Huthi army Pro-Ali Abdullah Saleh Ali Abdullah Saleh Ahmed Saleh Abdullah Dabaan Abdul-Hafiz al-Saqqaf Abdul Razzaq Almrona Abdullah Khairan Zakaria Yahya al-Shami Hussein Khairan
Places	Sana'a Taiz Governorate Taiz Mocha, Yemen Lahij Governorate Lahij Aden Ad Dali' Governorate
Reactions external	Military 2015 military intervention in Yemen Timeline of Operation Restoring Hope