Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) formed in January 2009 as a merger between the Yemeni and Saudi al Qaeda branches. Operatives work in cells throughout the country and rely on tribal support for shelter. The group seeks to establish an Islamic state and has executed attacks on Western interests.
Capabilities: AQAP has historically targeted western interests in Yemen; however, the 2009 Christmas Day attack and October 2010 parcel plot showed that the group has international capabilities.
English-language outreach: AQAP is the first al Qaeda franchise to publish in English. Anwar al Awlaki, an American-born cleric, is hiding in Yemen with AQAP militants and advocates for the Muslim community to wage violent jihad.
Guantanamo Detainees: Yemen continues to be a destination for former Guantanamo detainees, some of whom are part of the AQAP leadership.
Recent Publications
Tracker: AQAP and Suspected AQAP Attacks in 2010 and 2011
Map of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Attacks in Yemen
The Death of AQAP's Anwar al Awlaki
Ten Years After 9/11: Al Qaeda's Reemergence in Yemen
Al Qaeda's Gains in South Yemen
Terror Partnership: AQAP and Shabaab
Unrest in Yemen Could Benefit AQAP, The Corner: National Review Online
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in 2010: The Intensification of the Near War
The Shifting Tactics of AQAP, The Corner: National Review Online
English-Language Outreach
Expanding the Campaign of Violence: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's English-Language Magazine
Quick Take: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's English-Language Magazine
Eliminating al-Awlaki, The Corner: National Review Online
Militant Islam's Global Preacher: The Radicalizing Effect of Sheikh Anwar al Awlaki
Quick Take: Anwar al Awlaki - Militant Islam's Global Preacher
The Threat from al Qaeda
The Continued al Qaeda Threat from Yemen, The Daily Caller
Christmas Day Attack: Manifestation of AQAP Shift Targeting America
Christmas Day 2009 Airline Bombing: Yemen and al Qaeda Context
Background
Testimony Before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
January 15th Strike: Targeting al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Leaders and Implications
Critical Threats Project Briefing on Yemen and AQAP
Quick Take: Yemen, AQAP, and a Way Forward
Denying al Qaeda a Safe Haven in Yemen
IN THIS SECTION
Recipe for Failure: American Strategy toward Yemen and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
The Arab Spring threw American counter-terrorism policy in Yemen into crisis. The challenge for policymakers is to develop a counter-terrorism policy that addresses Yemen’s new reality.
Saleh Family Network
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh placed family members in critical positions throughout Yemen’s security forces. This graphic shows his family network.
Map: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Attacks in Yemen
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has expanded its areas of control in Yemen. The Critical Threats Project has mapped out the locations of AQAP attacks between 2007 and 2011 to reveal this trend.
Taiz: The Heart of Yemen's Revolution
Taiz is as important a city as Sana’a to understanding the Yemeni Spring, yet its significance has been largely overlooked by the international community. The path to meaningful political settlement in Yemen runs through Taiz.
He's Back: Implications of Saleh's Return to Yemen
President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s sudden return to Sana’a will impact developments in Sana’a by either hastening a transfer of power or driving the country closer to broader armed conflict.
U.S. Reportedly Strikes Terrorist in Yemen
There’s a report of a U.S. airstrike in Yemen’s restive southern governorate of Abyan that seems to have targeted Fahd al Quso, a Yemeni al Qaeda operative on the FBI’s most wanted list. Targeted strikes, a hit-or-miss tactic, will not alone defeat al Qaeda in Yemen.
Al Qaeda's Gains in South Yemen
Al Qaeda has benefited from the collapse of the Yemeni state. Islamist militants have demonstrated the capacity to take and hold territory from state control. These territorial gains increase al Qaeda’s operating space in Yemen.
