Yemen crisis reignites fear of al-Qaeda global threat

Since the Houthi takeover of half of Yemen, AQAP, short for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, has been gaining territory, towns, arms and influence.
It has never had it so good.
US intelligence cites AQAP as the most globally dangerous of all al-Qaeda’s regional branches because of its proven ability to smuggle bombs on to planes bound for the West.
So is anything left of the much-vaunted US-led counter-terrorism strategy in Yemen?
“The dynamic in Yemen has changed dramatically,” says Dr Sajjan Gohel, a terrorism expert with the Asia Pacific Foundation.
“The current internal strife in Yemen is giving AQAP a breathing space allowing them to raid jails, free (jihadist) prisoners and increase the numbers of their recruits”.

 

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