SANAA, Yemen — The Yemen-based group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), considered by many to be the most dangerous splinter of al-Qaeda, has never been as powerful in its 20-year history as it has been in the past 12 months. Despite recent setbacks, it maintains control over much of Yemen.
The group had taken over swaths of land in southern Yemen and seized enormous financial resources before being hit April 22 by military operations carried out by the Arab coalition and led by UAE forces with the support of Yemeni soldiers loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
Had it not been for the support of the Arab coalition, the Yemenis would have failed in fighting AQAP following its control over Hadramawt province, which covers some 193,000 square kilometers (almost 75,000 square miles), 36% of the total area of Yemen. AQAP also controls Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan governorate, where Hadi is from.
Since the beginning of April 2015, AQAP has taken advantage of the war raging between armed Houthis — who have controlled the capital, Sanaa, since September 2014 — and Hadi’s forces backed by Saudi Arabia. AQAP was able to take over three provinces in southern Yemen — al-Mukalla, Abyan and Shabwah — where they started establishing their own state and recruiting new followers.
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