Shabwah campaign (March–August 2015)

Shabwah campaign (March–August 2015)
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) and Shabwah Governorate offensive (2014-2016)

Shabwah Governorate
Date29 March – 15 August 2015
(4 months, 2 weeks and 3 days)
LocationShabwah Governorate, Yemen
Result

Hadi/Coalition victory

  • Houthis capture the provincial capital Ataq and Saeed
  • AQAP forces are expelled from the eastern part of the governorate
  • Pro-Hadi forces recapture Ataq and the rest of the governorate on 15 August
Belligerents

Yemen Houthi government[1]

Yemen Hadi government

AQAP[2]

Casualties and losses
152 killed 43 killed

The Shabwah campaign (March–August 2015) was a campaign for control of the Shabwah Governorate of Yemen, between the Houthis and Yemen Army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh on one side, and militiamen and Yemen Army units loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on the other side. The offensive have also launched during an previously started AQAP offensive.

The campaign

On 29 March 2015, fighting centered in the oil-rich Usaylan region. 38 were killed in fighting between the Houthis and Sunni tribesmen. Tribal sources confirmed the death toll, and claimed only eight of them were from their side, with the other 30 either Houthis or their allies from the Yemeni military. The tribesmen were also reinforced by weapons received via 200 vehicles from tribes in the nearby province of Abyan.[7] After the fighting, Houthi positions were hit by Coalition air-strikes.[8]

On 1 April, fighting at a major army base left 35 Houthi and allied army fighters, along with 20 tribesmen, dead.[9]

On 6 April, the Houthis were reported to be negotiating with local tribes for safe transit to Ataq, the provincial capital.[10] However, additional fighting on the same day killed two Houthi fighters, while another eight were killed in an airstrike.[11] Two days later, 10 Houthis, three Houthi-allied soldiers and three tribesmen were killed in further clashes.[12][13]

On 9 April, air-strikes hit the Houthi-held Muhra base, outside Ataq, after which the Houthis and their allies seized government and police installations in the city. Soon, hundreds of armed tribesmen mobilised on the outskirts of Ataq to attack the Houthis.[14] Still, the Houthi capture of the provincial capital was reportedly facilitated by local tribal chiefs and security officials.[15]

On 10 April, 25 Houthi fighters were killed in a suicide car-bomb attack, carried out by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), on their security post in the Bayhan region.[2] As is the case in the neighboring Abyan Governorate,[16] it was reported that AQAP fighters were ordered to fight alongside pro-Hadi forces against the Houthis.[2]

On 13 April, pro-Hadi tribal militia took control of two military bases belonging to units that were guarding oil facilities in the Belhaf area.[17][18] 15 soldiers stationed at one base were killed.[19]

On 19 April, seven Houthis were killed in clashes in the province.[20]

On 25 May, 17 Houthi and 11 tribal fighters were killed in fighting in Ataq.[21]

At the end of May, the Houthis captured the city of Saeed, after a change in allegiance from a number of tribes in the area.[22]

On 11 August, after the Pro-Hadi forces recaptured the governorates of Aden, Lahij, Dhale and Abyan they will launch an offensive to retake Shabwah Governorate, the last Southern governorate with a Houthi rebel presence.[23]

On 15 August, Pro-Hadi forces regained control of the entire Shabwah Governorate, including the city of Ataq, after Houthi forces and their allies withdrew from the region.[24]

References

  1. ↑ Orkaby, Asher (25 March 2015). "Houthi Who?". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "25 killed as booby-trapped car hits security post in Yemen". Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Saudi Arabia Begins Air Assault in Yemen". The New York Times. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Felicia Schwartz, Hakim Almasmari and Asa Fitch (26 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations in Yemen". WSJ.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and Pakistan ready for ground offensive in Yemen: report". the globe and mail. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in Yemen". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "38 dead as Yemen tribes, rebels clash near oil region". AFP. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "50 Houthis killed in clashes with Shabwa tribes". Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Yemen Houthi fighters backed by tanks reach central Aden". Reuters. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Fierce fighting as rebels move on holdouts in Yemen's Aden". Houston Chronicle. 6 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "Yemen clashes kill more than 100 as aid delayed". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Red Cross says situation 'catastrophic' in Yemen's Aden". The Express Tribune. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  13. ↑ Erol Ersoy. "Yemen tribesmen kill 3 pro-Houthi troops in Shabwah". Breaking News Updates. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "Coalition air strikes 'hit Yemen defence ministry'". Mail Online. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "Yemen's Houthis Seize Provincial Capital Despite Saudi-Led Airstrikes". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Fighting in Abyan governorate continues as anti-Houthi forces advance". Yemen Times. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "Army troops hit by bomb in southern Yemen, 15 killed". GlobalPost. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "Gulf Daily News » World News » Yemen unrest driven by Iran's hunger for power". Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "UN demands probes into Yemen civilian casualties". Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  20. ↑ Yemen rebel leader vows resistance against Saudi-led air war
  21. ↑ Heavy exchange of fire destroys Saudi-Yemen border crossing
  22. ↑ Yemeni rebels take control of southern city
  23. ↑ "South Yemen clashes wound senior officials". Al Arabiya. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  24. ↑ القوات الشرعية تسيطر على مركز محافظة شبوة
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