Drone strikes successful All Voices Yemen: U.S.

is escalating secret drone war in Yemen March 29, 2012

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/11819579-yemen-us-is-escalating-secret-drone-war-inyemen The U.S. is revving up its drone war against militants in Yemen with the support of the new government there. The U.S. has ordered dozens of drone attacks. The U.S. is particularly interested in attacking bases of AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula). Back in Sept. last year drone attacks killed the U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaki who was a propagandist for Al Qaeda. Later his son and nephew were also killed in drone attacks. Since last May 26 attacks have been recorded..There have been nine attacks in 2012 already five in March. Thirty militants were allegedly killed in 3 attacks on the city of Zinjibar held by a militant group. The number of attacks this year are comparable to the ten that have taken place in Pakistan. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism in the UK haas estimated that as many as 516 have been killed in drone attacks. Over a hundred were civilians.

Multiple deaths in the last six months RTT News AQAP Admits Death Of Top Leader In Yemen March 09, 2012
http://www.rttnews.com/1837848/aqap-admits-death-of-top-leader-inyemen.aspx?type=gn&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=sitemap High-ranking al-Qaeda leader in Yemen Muhammad al-Hanq died on Sunday last, the Yemeni branch of the terror network announced in a communique issued on 'Jihadist' forums. "Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) announced the death of Abu Omar Muhammad al-Hanq, a regional leader in Arhab district in Sanaa province of Yemen," the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors terror-related websites, quoted the terrorist organization as saying on its website on Thursday. AQAP termed Hanq as one of its "wise men" and "sheikhs of jihad." Hanq, who died of an undisclosed illness, reportedly dodged American troops two years ago after threatening Western targets. Yemeni authorities were forced to close the British and U.S. Embassies in the capital following the threats. The news of Hanq's death comes after reports in recent years that he had either been captured or killed. If his death is confirmed, it will be the second major loss in the high ranks of the terror outfit in Yemen in six months.

Stability now no risk from AQAP GMA news US 'concerned' over Qaeda attacks in Yemen Pentagon March 06, 2012
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/250445/news/world/us-concerned-over-qaeda-attacks-inyemen-mdash-pentagon The United States is "very concerned" about the latest deadly attack by al Qaeda militants in Yemen, but believes the government will survive the assault, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. More than 100 government soldiers have been killed in fighting after suspected al Qaeda gunmen attacked military posts in Yemen's south on Sunday, medical officials in Yemen said. "We view Yemen as a very important partner on counter-terrorism efforts and we're also very concerned about the clashes that have taken place there, to include AQAP (al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) advances in certain parts in the country," press secretary George Little told reporters, referring to al Qaeda's branch in the region. It was vital to maintain military pressure on the al Qaeda network in Yemen, he said. "AQAP is a group that has targeted the Yemeni government and Yemeni civilians for quite a long time and it's important we keep up the pressure on them," he said. But Little said the Yemeni government has long faced a challenge from the al Qaeda network and its hold on power was not under serious threat. "I think it's important to put this into some context. The Yemeni government has faced challenges in certain parts of the country for some time so I wouldn't necessarily read anything at this point into the stability of the Yemeni government," he said. "We're going to continue to work with them," he said. US officials are closely watching events in Yemen after Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down last week after 33 years as president. The new president, Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, pledged to destroy the al Qaeda militant group in last month's inauguration speech.

Terror declining drone strikes Damien McElroy US drone strikes on Yemen escalate March 29, 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9171946/US-drone-strikes-on-Yemenescalate.html President Obama has, however, made plain his determination to go after AQAP, which he has described as "a network of violence and terror" that has attracted a number of US citizens to its cause, including the radical cleric Anwar al Awlaki. Awlaki was killed last September, along with Samir Khan, editor of AQAP's English-language propaganda magazine Inspire, which had been blamed for recruiting Western-raised youths to Islamic radicalism. Days later a follow-up attack killed other militants but also Awlaki's 16-year old son and 17-year old nephew. AQAP's ability to speak to an English-language audience was finished. Elizabeth Quintada, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute. said the drone strikes had successfully damaged AQAP, having secured the tacit backing of Yemeni leaders, but still carried the risk of embroiling the US in Yemen's internal turmoil. "The strikes in Yemen are government-permitted if not government-sponsored and are a very effective way to hit terrorist camps," she said. "But because there is a general uprising against the government of Yemen there is a concern about the accuracy of intelligence and groups using America's firepower for their own purposes."