Shabwa (South24)

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A cell affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has revealed the involvement of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in financing the extremist organization’s activities against Southern forces.

In a video released by the Shabwa Defense Forces (a Southern forces branch) yesterday, two AQAP members, following their earlier arrest, spoke about AQAP's activity in the governorate.

خاص | حصرياً عرض جزء من أعترافات عناصر تنظيم القاعدة الارهابي في محافظة شبوة #قوات_دفاع_شبوة pic.twitter.com/xWE2S8IQsU

— قوات دفاع شبوة (@QShbwt) October 6, 2023

The two members stated that AQAP in Shabwa obtained drones and explosive devices from the neighboring Marib governorate, large parts of which are under the Houthis' control.

The two members also revealed the identity of several AQAP leaders in Shabwa. One of the two members said: “The leaders of AQAP in Shabwa are Abu Al-Hayja Al-Hadidi, Munir Al-Ahdal, Haroun Al-Ibbi, Abu Al-Fadl Al-Baidhani, and Musab Al-Kazmi.”

All of them originate from North Yemen, except for Musab Al-Kazmi, who comes from the neighboring Abyan governorate. The confessions referred to a person named “Kamal Al-Sanani,” a drone expert in Shabwa Governorate.

The cell spoke in detail about AQAP operations targeting commanders and soldiers of the Shabwa Defense Forces, adding that their leader Abu Al-Hayja Al-Hadidi had issued orders to target crude oil and liquefied gas pipelines in the governorate.

One of the militants stated that a shipment of Katyusha rockets arrived in Shabwa from Marib to target the strategically important Balhaf gas facility last October. The confessions stipulated that deliveries of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) had also arrived from Marib.

“IED detonators were purchased by AQAP affiliates in Shabwa from a Houthi member," one of the AQAP members added.

It should be noted that the identity of the two militants who appeared in the video was made clear. The first member identified as a senior leader, under the name Ahmed Mubarak Al-Khader Al-Dayani. The other member indicated his identity as "Ahmed Mohsen Al-Ja'ab Baawda."