American special forces are backing thousands of Yemeni forces in a major operation to regain control of an al-Qaeda stronghold in southern Yemen.
The offensive, which includes 2,000 Yemeni troops and their Emirati military advisers, is the largest operation against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in over a year, part of a more aggressive push since President Trump took office.
Yemen was the scene of the first Navy Seal ground raid Mr Trump authorised after taking office, targeting militants from the group still considered al-Qaeda’s most dangerous affiliate. There was criticism that the raid was rushed and ultimately botched, resulting in the death of one Navy Seal and at least 14 civilians, including nine children.
AQAP bomb-makers have focused on plots to blow up airliners, none of which has yet succeeded. The group has flourished since the country descended into further chaos more than two years ago when Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, ousted the internationally recognised government in Sanaa.
That prompted intervention by a Saudi-led coalition, which was criticised for heavy civilian casualties and for creating room for AQAP to grow.
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The militants were driven out of the southern port town of Mukalla in March last year by Yemeni and Emirati forces. The US and Britain have given logistical support to the Saudi-led coalition, but no direct action.
The US has conducted about 80 airstrikes against AQAP since the end of February, a sharp increase on the 38 launched the year before.
The Yemeni forces, called the Shabwani Elite, are made up of troops loyal to the internationally recognised president, Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi, and backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
Yemeni representatives have said they welcome American backing but do not want US troops on the ground. Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the aim was to “degrade” AQAP’s ability to co-ordinate external terrorist operations and plotting.