Current Situation
In the wake of the recent February 21 election of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, the United States has promised to increase its cooperation with the Yemeni government in an effort to further combat local elements of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Islamic militants have issued warnings that they will expand their activities should the government continue their operations against them in the southern town of Zinjibar.
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On March 3, a pair of suicide bombers exploded a car bomb outside of a Republican Guard base in the south eastern al-Bayda province, killing one soldier. On the same day, another soldier was killed in an explosion in the south eastern city of Mukullah.
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Meanwhile, conflicting reports surfaced as to the results of an attack on a US security team in the southern province of Aden on Thursday, March 1. Islamic militants claim they killed a CIA officer in that incident, while security officials said there were no casualties.
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On February 25, al-Qaeda linked militants killed 26 people outside of the Presidential Palace in Mukullah, hours after the swearing in of President Hadi.
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Yemeni soldiers have been fighting Islamic militants primarily in the southern province of Abyan. Islamists have made advances further north including the take over of Radda, a town located 170km south of Sanaa.
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The United States has aided Yemeni forces by actively targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leaders with drone strikes, most notably the killing of top figures Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan in September.
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Despite previous participation, after the start of the uprising, the US removed 75 of its on the ground advisers due to security concerns. Military aid was also withheld due to concerns that it would be used in the suppression of peaceful demonstrators.
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The new cooperation initiative includes US promises to increase military aid from $30.1bn to $53.8bn and the return of trainers. Deeper involvement from Saudi Arabia and other neighboring states is expected.
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