Aden (South24) 

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Earlier today, the official spokesperson for the Southern Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Al-Naqib, called for international efforts to support the counter-terrorism operations carried out by the pro-Southern Transitional Council (STC) Southern forces against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

Al-Naqib told the 'South24 Center': "We are fighting this war alone against the most dangerous branch of Al-Qaeda in the world. We are fighting terrorism single-handedly at a time when it has taken alliances from dozens of countries to do the same in Syria and Iraq."

"We have achieved great and unprecedented achievements in this path. We have destroyed AQAP's capabilities in the central parts of Abyan Governorate, which included their fortified strongholds that the previous Yemeni regime failed to destroy," he added.

Al-Naqib said that of late AQAP is facing an existential threat due to the ’Arrows of the East‘ operation of the Southern forces that was launched in August 2022 in Abyan Governorate, as well as the ’Arrows of the South‘ operation in Shabwa Governorate.

The spokesperson accused the Iran-backed Houthi militia of giving AQAP the ’kiss of life‘ by providing them with drones, explosive devices, and ammunition. He said that the Houthis are hosting AQAP leaders in cities under their control.

He pointed to the escalation of AQAP operations against their forces in recent months. He considered it an immediate result of the increasing coordination between the organization and the Houthi group.

He said: "It is a complex relationship, but it exists and is constantly evolving. For us, the Houthis are the other side of the terrorism coin. They are no different from AQAP, but unfortunately some countries have a different point of view."

The spokesperson called for comprehensive efforts to combat global terrorism and avoid selectivity.

“Countries that are leading the fight against terrorism, such as the United States (US), Russia and Europe, must stand with the Southern forces, and that means standing against the Houthis as well, because they support AQAP,” he added.

Al-Naqib warned that the cooperation between the Houthis and AQAP could expand to include other groups in Yemen as a result of the US-UK strikes against the Houthis. “Feelings of extremism and solidarity are at their peak now,” he said.

On Friday (December 20), the Southern forces declared full control of Wadi Sari in Ahwar district in Abyan Governorate, just one day after an ambush by AQAP elements against members of the Southern forces on the Ahwar road.

The ambush killed four members of the Southern forces. Commenting on the incident, Al-Naqib said: “Our forces had controlled these parts the previous year. But elements of AQAP attempted to reposition and spread out”.

From time to time, the Southern forces are exposed to attacks by AQAP, mainly concentrated in the Mudiyah district of Abyan Governorate and the Al-Musainah area in the As-Saied district of Shabwa Governorate.

The terrorist organization often uses explosive devices, but its attacks by armed elements have increased significantly, in addition to drones, which it began using in May 2023.

The organization also used a suicide car bomb for the first time in 2024 on August 18, which led to the killing of 16 Southern forces and injury to 17 others in the Mudiyah district of Abyan Governorate.