Abyan campaign

Abyan campaign
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) and the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Location of the Abyan Governorate within Yemen
Date 26 March – 11 August 2015 (4 months, 2 weeks and 2 days) Location Abyan Governorate, Yemen Result Coalition victory Pro-Hadi forces fully recaptured the entire Abyan Governorate
Belligerents
Supreme Political Council[1] Houthi fighters Yemeni Republican Guard	Cabinet of Yemen Republic of Yemen Armed Forces People's Committees Popular resistance[2] Supported by: Southern Movement Arab coalition  Saudi Arabia[3][4] (leader)  Bahrain[5]  Egypt[5][6]  Jordan[5]  Kuwait[5]  Morocco[5]  Sudan[5]  United Arab Emirates[5]	AQAP[7]
Commanders and leaders
Abdul Nasser al-Junaidi[8]	Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar †	Abu Hamza al-Zinjibari[7] Abu al Zinad al Abyani[9]
Units involved
15th Armored Brigade[7] Houthi fighters	111th Infantry Brigade[7]	AQAP fighters
Strength
200 soldiers 100 Houthi fighters	600 soldiers 400 popular committee fighters[7]	600 fighters[7]
Casualties and losses
49 killed[7][10]	31 killed[7][11]	unknown

The Abyan campaign was a 2015 campaign for control of the Abyan 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, supported by jihadists of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.^[7] The pro-Hadi forces recaptured the Abyan Governorate on 11 August 2015,^[12] after launching an offensive on pro-Houthi forces in early August.^[13]

The campaign

On 26 March 2015, the 15th Armored Brigade, based in Lawdar, announced their support for the Houthis. In turn, the 111th Infantry Brigade, based in the Ahwar District, joined forces with pro-Hadi troops five days later. In addition, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) pledged to fight alongside pro-Hadi forces against the Houthis but clarified they were not loyal to Hadi.^[7]

On 27 March, Houthi and allied army forces seized the city of Shuqrah on the Arabian Sea. The takeover gave them control of all land entries to Aden and completed their encirclement of the city where a battle was underway.^[14] However, warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition began to bedevil the Houthis as they moved their heavy armour and vehicles toward Aden, with airstrikes halting a convoy from Shuqrah early on 28 March.^[15]

On 29 March, pro-Houthi troops captured Zinjibar, the provincial capital and a center for pro-Hadi forces in the governorate. 20 people were killed during the takeover.^[16] Heavy clashes took place between tribal fighters and Houthi-allied soldiers occupying a military camp and adjacent football field in the city, which was bombed twice by the Coalition.^[17]

On 3 April, Houthi forces entered the districts of Jaar, Lawdar and Shuqrah. Pro-Hadi military sources claimed that the 111th Infantry Brigade had cut off supplies to the Houthis and their allies on 7 April, but a source in the pro-Houthi 15th Armored Brigade said they had supplies still coming from the Al Bayda Governorate to the north.^[7] Sustained fighting took place during the day in Lawdar,^[18] while pro-Hadi forces reportedly besieged the base of the pro-Houthi army brigade.^[19]

On 25 April, at least 29 pro-Houthi fighters were killed in attacks throughout the province, according to an official.^[10]

On 8 August, Pro-Hadi forces launched an offensive to retake the city of Zinjibar from Houthi militias after the pro-government forces retook Jaʿār and Lawdar.^[20]

On 10 August, Pro-Hadi forces had retaken the provincial capital Zinjibar after just two days of fighting Houthi militias in the city, they will continue the offensive to retake the city of Shuqrah.^[21] On 11 August, Pro-Hadi forces had recaptured the entire Abyan Governorate.^[12]

References

1. Orkaby, Asher (25 March 2015). "Houthi Who?". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
2. "Anti-Houthi fighters seize districts in central and southern Yemen". 10 August 2015.
3. Mazzetti, Mark; Kirkpatrick, David D. (25 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Begins Air Assault in Yemen". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
4. Felicia Schwartz, Hakim Almasmari and Asa Fitch (26 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations in Yemen". WSJ. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
5. "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. "Fighting in Abyan governorate continues as anti-Houthi forces advance". Yemen Times. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
8. "مقتل المشرف السابق للحوثيين في محافظة أبين خلال مواجهات البيضاء وسط اليمن - اخبار اليمن". Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
9. "Yemen Situation Report".
10. 63 killed, dozens wounded in fighting, airstrikes in southern Yemen Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
11. "South Yemen clashes wound senior officials". Alarabiya News. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
12. "Yemen's loyalist forces push Houthi rebels from Abyan". Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
13. "South Yemen clashes wound senior officials". Al Arabiya. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
14. Browning, Noah (27 March 2015). "Yemen Houthi forces gain first foothold on Arabian Sea - residents". Reuters. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
15. "Diplomats and U.N. staff flee Yemen as Houthis target Aden". Reuters. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
16. "Gulf of Aden Security Review - March 30, 2015 - Critical Threats". Retrieved 9 April 2015.
17. Mukhashaf, Sami Aboudi (29 March 2015). "Diplomats and U.N. staff flee Yemen as Houthis target Aden". Reuters UK. Archived from the original on 31 December 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
18. "U.S. expedites arms shipments to coalition bombing Yemen". Reuters UK. 7 April 2015. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
19. "Yemen clashes kill more than 140 as aid delayed - News". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
20. "Yemen pro-govt forces launch offensive". Al Arabiya. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
21. "Yemeni Popular Resistance forces tighten grip on south". Al Arabiya. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.