Abyan conflict

Abyan conflict
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)

Military situation in Abyan on 15 March 2018
Date22 February 2016 – 19 August 2018
Location
Abyan Governorate, Yemen
Result

Cabinet of Yemen Victory

  • AQAP is expelled from all of Abyan in early 2016
  • AQAP militants return to Abyan in mid 2016
  • As of late February 2017, AQAP remains in control of Lawdar, Shuqraq, Al Mahfid, and other smaller areas in Abyan
  • AQAP expelled from Wadea in September 2017, and from Al-Mafhad in March 2018
  • As of March 14, 2018, AQAP only controls or contests 20% of Abyan[1]
  • On March 31, 2018, government officials announced that the security situation and the front had stabilized[2]
Belligerents

Al-Qaeda

Local militias

  • Ali Aqel gang
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Yemen Province (limited involvement)

 Yemen

Supported by:
 United States
 United Arab Emirates (2016–17)
Southern Movement (2016–17)
 Sudan (2016–19)

Southern Transitional Council
Supported by:

 United Arab Emirates

Revolutionary Committee/Supreme Political Council

Commanders and leaders

Qasim al-Raymi (Emir of AQAP) †
Tariq Al-Fadhli (leader of Fadhli tribesmen loyal to AQAP)
Tawfiq Belaidi (Emir of Zinjibar)
Abu Anas al-Sanani (Deputy Emir of Zinjibar)
Aref Ahmad Abdullah Harrahah Al Yafei (Emir of Jaʿār)[3]
Abdul Hakim Amer (commander)
Abi Salem al-Taizi (Emir of Mansoura)
Abi Abbas al-Hadrami (commander)[4]
Ali Salem Mkeda (commander)
Mohammed Salem Mkeda (commander)
Nasser Abdullah al-Dabani (commander)

casualties:
  • Usayd al-Adani (Emir of Abyan) †
  • Abdullah Saeed Habibat (commander) †
  • Khaled Abdul Nabi (commander) Surrendered
  • Abu Osama Al-Yasiri (official) (POW)
  • Jalal Al-Seydi (Emir of Lawdar) †
  • Ali Saleh Al-Buhaith Al-Fathani (field commander) †
  • Abu Bilal al-Lawdari (bodyguard of Jalal Al-Seydi) †
  • Abdullah Al-Zaidi (Emir of Al-Ain) †
  • Osama Haidar (Emir of Aden Governorate) †
  • Mohamed Tahar (commander) †
  • Qasim Khalil (commander) †
  • Harithah al-Waqari (Deputy Emir of Abyan) †
  • Abu Sameh al-Zinjibari (Deputy of Abu Hamza al Zinjibari) †
  • Waddah Muhammed Amsouda (commander) †
  • Abu Obeida Al-Dhamji (commander) †
  • Ahmed Ali Saana (official) †
  • Al-Abali (field commander) †
  • Mukhtar Jami (commander) †
  • Ibrahim al-Adani (chief financial officer in Abyan) †
  • Arif Adel Hassan Habib (suicide bomber) †
  • Abu Asid al Marqishi (militant) †
  • Nasser Mohammed Jubah al-Maqni (commander) Executed
  • Ahmed Al-Khader bin Lazraq (commander) Executed
  • Abu Abdullah Al-Kazemi (bombmaker) Executed
  • Al-Khader Ali Ahmed Basaree (Emir of Al-Wadea and Abyan) (DOW)
  • Mohammed Saleh Al-Awsiji (Emir of Al Hisn) †
  • Aqil Matali (Emir of Lawdar) (POW)
  • Ali Saleh Dehis (Emir of mudiyah) (POW)
  • Mohammed Nasser Dehis (Deputy Emir of mudiyah) (POW)
  • Ahmed Abdul Nabi (commander) †
  • Mohamed Abdul Nabi (fighter) (POW)
  • Haitham al-‘Arr (official) (POW)
  • Abdullah al-Huqairi (official) (POW)
  • al-Khader Ahmad Hussein Al-Darmali (Bombmaker) (POW)
  • Mohammed Saleh Saeed al-Awlaki (commander) (POW)
  • Salem Ali Ahmed Al-Zaidi (commander) (POW)
  • Nayef Al-Damaji Abu Obaidah (Emir of Lawdar) †
  • Salah Hadi Al-Lawdari (fighter) †
  • Shuaib Al-Lawdari (fighter) †
  • Nader Al-Jaru (fighter) †
  • Shamil Al-Jadani (fighter) †
  • Abdullah Al-Saqi (official) (POW)
  • Fayez Saleh Saeed Faya (official) (POW)
  • Ahmed Al-Khader Al-Waleedi (commander) †
  • Mohammed Awad Mahfar (commander) Surrendered
  • Abu Salem Al-Walidi (Chief financial officer for Abyan) (POW)
  • Saleh al-Barak (commander) †
  • Abdu Majda (commander) Surrendered
  • Hadi Al-Saeeli (commander) Surrendered
  • Majed Khabtiyeh (commander) (POW)
  • Alaa Ahmed (commander) (POW)
  • Saleh Ahmed Lara (Emir of Al-Mafhad) Surrendered
  • Nasser Mohsen Basabreen (Deputy Emir of Al-Mafhad) †
  • Nasser Mubarak al-Muhail (official) (POW)
  • Amjad al-Wahti (commander) †
  • Hilmi Aqil (Deputy Emir of Mansoura) (POW)
  • Hussein Ali Basaree (commander) †
  • Murad al-Doubly al-Batani al-Maki (commander) †
  • Sami Younes Aiash (commander) †
  • Abu al-Miqdad al-Dhumari (chief of medical office) †
  • Yasser al-Jahidi (commander) †
  • Abu Salem al-Adani (commander) †
  • Abu Hamza al-Shabwani (commander) †

Ali Aqel

Radwan Qanan (ISIL commander) †

Yemen Abu Bakr Hussein Salem (Governor of Abyan)
Yemen Abdel Aziz Al-Hamzah (Deputy Governor of Abyan)[5]
Yemen Abdullah Al-Fadhli (Security chief of Abyan) (WIA)
Yemen Ahmed Saif Al-Mahrami (commander of fourth military region)[6]
Yemen Brig.Gene. Nasr Al-Atawi (Head of 15th brigade)[7]
Yemen Maj. Gen. Nasser Abdullah Barwis (chief of military staff of the fourth military region)[8]
Yemen Faisal Al-Dabiya (Director General of the Office of Governor of Abyan)[7]
Yemen Colonel Ahmad Amabed Nasser (Security director of Abyan (2017-present)) [9]
Yemen Khader Al-Saeedi (former Governor of Abyan)
Saudi Arabia Maj Gen Fadhl Baash (Special forces commander)[10]
Saudi Arabia Shaker Al-Ghadeer (officer in 111th brigade)[11]
Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Nasser Ali Hadi
Saudi Arabia Ali Deeb Boumhal Alkazmi[12]
Saudi Arabia Brig. Gen. Haidara Lahtal
Saudi Arabia Major General Ahmed Saif Yafei (Commander of Forth military region)[13]
Saudi Arabia Staff Col. Mohammed Ali al Muazeb (Commander of 15th brigade (2016-2017))[14][15]
Saudi Arabia Colonel Abdullah Ahmad Subaihi (Commander of 15th brigade (2017-present))[16]
Saudi Arabia Brig. Gen. Mohammed Hussein al Bukhaiti (commander of 111th brigade)[17]
Saudi Arabia Brig. Gen. Mohammed Abdullah al Shamba (Commander in 115th brigade)[13][18]
Saudi Arabia Staff Brig. Gen. Faisal Rajab (Commander in 119th brigade)[13]
Saudi Arabia Nasser Ali Basmayeh (Commander of 119th brigade)[19]
Saudi Arabia Colonel Nasser Mahdi Abdullah
Saudi Arabia Major General Ali Nasser Lakhma (Deputy interior minister)
Saudi Arabia Abdul Alim Abdul Jalil (137th brigade commander)
Saudi Arabia Sheikh Mohammed Ghaleb Afifi[20]
Saudi Arabia Brig Ahmed Mohammed Al-Shubaili (115th brigade commander) (WIA)
Saudi Arabia Bassam Al-Mihdhar (official)
Saudi Arabia Maj. Gen. Fadl Hassan (commander of 4th Military region)[21]
Saudi Arabia Colonel Abdul Qader Al-Jaari (chief of staff of 103th brigade)[22]
Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Saleh Ali Hassan (Chief of Staff of the 4th Military Region)[13]
Saudi Arabia Major General Mahmoud Ahmed Salem Al-Subaihi (Commander of 4th military region)[13]
Saudi Arabia Ahmed Nasser Saeed[13]
Saudi Arabia Ahmed Taleb Al Rabie[13]
Saudi Arabia Mohammed Al-Fulin[13]
Saudi ArabiaAli Omar Saeed al-Kazemi[13]
Saudi Arabia Sheikh Walid bin Nasser Al-Fadhli[23]
Saudi Arabia Brig. Gen. Nasser Abed Rabbo Mohammed (commander in 115th brigade)
Saudi Arabia Moin Ahmed Ali (head of the rescue committee )[24]
Saudi Arabia Nasser Al-Dhamji (commander in 115th brigade)[25]
Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Mohammed (Head of Intelligence in Abyan) [26]
Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Ahmed Salem Al Wadi[27]
Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Rukn Abdullah Hussein Al-Qaqai (Commander of 115th brigade) [27]
Saudi Arabia Brig. Gen. Ali Qumali (commander of 103th brigade) [28]
Saudi Arabia Colonel Waqn al-Nub[29]
Saudi Arabia Qaisar Al-Aidarous[29]
Saudi Arabia Abdul Razzaq Sultan[29]
Saudi Arabia Mohammad Mana[29]
Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Wahid [26]
Saudi Arabia Colonel Ali Saeed Al Amisi
Saudi Arabia Colonel Ali Ahmed Hafin (commander of special security forces)
Saudi Arabia Ameen Faisal (security chief of Khanfar)
Saudi Arabia Nasser Nasser Marsa (commander of the operations of the 119th Brigade)[30]
Saudi Arabia Sheikh Ahmed Salem Al-Aseeli (WIA)
Saudi Arabia Hussein Ahmed ali[31]
Saudi Arabia Al-Khader Hamsan Al-Audhali
Saudi Arabia Sabri Ali
Saudi Arabia Abdullah Abdulsalam al-Qabli (115th brigade official) (WIA)
Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Sanad al-Misari (5th brigade official)[32]
Saudi Arabia Lieutenant Colonel Samir Al-Hayyed[32]
Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Mohammed Al-Mursa (5th brigade commander)[32]

Casualties:
  • Yemen Abd Rabbo Hussein (General of 15th brigade) †
  • Saudi Arabia Lieutenant Colonel Muhanna bin Saad Al-Baiz (pilot) †
  • Saudi Arabia Colonel Abdullah Shamba (Anti-AQAP militia leader)[33] †
  • Saudi Arabia Haidara Daha (POW)
  • Saudi Arabia Rushdi al Alwani †
  • Saudi Arabia Abdullah Khader Hussein Executed
  • Saudi Arabia Nasser Ali Nasser (official) †
  • Saudi Arabia Ali Abdul Hakim Daraan †
  • Saudi Arabia Ali Saleh Haydara Al-Awd †
  • Saudi Arabia Yasser al-Amoudi (WIA) (POW)[34]
  • Yemen Al-Khader Ahmed Mohammed Al-Shubaili (Army soldier) †
  • Yemen Mahdhar Abdul (leader of Popular committees in Laedar) †
  • Yemen Saeed Salim al-Mul (Army colonel)
     †

Colonel Ali Ahmed Al-Awad [35]
Col. Salim Al Muhathithi [35]
Sheikh Abdur Rab Al-Naqib
Ahmad al-Rabizi
Abdullatif Al-Sayed
Ahmed Hamid Al-Marqashi
Ahmed Mansour Al-Marqashi
Amin al-Saqqaf  (WIA)
Ali Al-Fadhli  (WIA)
Mohammed Al-oban
Mohammed al-Nakhbi[36]
Mazen Junaidi
Mokhtar Al-Nubi[36]
Abdul Rahman al-Shanini[24]
Mokhtar Mohammed Haydan Al-Habashi Al-Audhali
Munir Abu Al-Yamamah[37]
Abdul Razzaq Al-Jordemi (WIA)
Mahmoud Shamba (Shuqrah al-Hizam company commander)
Abdul Rahman al-Shanini (Rapid Deployment Force commander of Khanfar)[38]
Hamza al-Mahouri[39]
Col Fawaz Al-Shabahi [40]
Saleh Al-Amiri Abu Qahtan[41]
Abu Raghad Shaye[42]
Omar Jardana

Casualties:
  • Nasser Saleh Al-Jaari 'Jeddo'  †
  • Abdulhakim Omair  †
  • Hussein Ahmed Qomata  †
 Unknown
Units involved

Republic of Yemen Armed Forces

15th Armored Brigade[46]
Strength
1,000-2,000 (Before May 2016)
4,000-12,000 (After May 2016)[47][48]		  Yemen:
4,000-7,000 (Hadi loyalists)
Southern Movement:
15,000 (Southern Movement and Al Hizam Brigade fighters)[49]		 200-300 soldiers
Casualties and losses
235+ killed
53+ captured
dozens wounded
dozens surrendered
dozens deserted		  Yemen:
111+ killed
65+ wounded
6 captured
Southern Movement:
133+ killed
134+ wounded		 7+ killed
dozens wounded
21+ civilians killed
dozens wounded

The Abyan conflict was a series of clashes between forces of AQAP (Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) loyal to Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and forces loyal to Southern Movement for the control of Abyan between 2016 and 2018.

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