U.S. Strikes in Yemen Target al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2017 — U.S. forces conducted a series of precision strikes in Yemen against the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist organization early this morning, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said.

کد خبر: ۶۷۳۱۲۱

تاریخ: ۱۲ اسفند ۱۳۹۵ - ۲۱:۲۲

In a statement, Davis said more than 20 strikes targeted militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah.

Conducted in partnership with Yemen’s government, the strikes were coordinated with President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi, Davis said.

"The government of Yemen is a valuable counterterrorism partner, and we support its efforts to bring stability to the region by fighting known terrorist organizations like [al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula],” he added.

Degrading Terrorist Capabilities

The strikes will degrade the terrorist group's ability to coordinate external terror attacks and will limit its ability to use territory seized from Yemen’s legitimate government as a safe space for terror plotting, the spokesman said, adding that targets of the strikes included militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems and fighting positions.
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct, and inspire terror attacks against the United States and its allies, and U.S. forces will continue to work with Yemen’s government to defeat the organization and deny it the ability to operate in Yemen, Davis said.