Southern Giants Brigades

Southern Giants Brigades
ألوية العمالقة الجنوبية
Emblem of the Southern Giants Brigades. The Arabic inscription translates: "Allah (God) is the greatest, The Southern, Giants Brigades"
Leaders	Abdulrahman Abu Zara'a Al Muharrami
Size	20,000 – 30,000
Part of	Yemeni Joint Forces
Allies	Saudi Arabia  United Arab Emirates Southern Movement Tihamah Resistance Yemeni National Resistance
Opponents	Houthis Hezbollah
Battles and wars	Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Taiz campaign (2015–present) Al Hudaydah offensive[1][2] Battle of Al Hudaydah[3]
Website	alamalika.net

The Southern Giants Brigades (Arabic: الوية العمالقة الجنوبية, romanized: Alwiyat al-Amaliqa al-Janubia), transliterated as Al Amalikah or Al Amaliqah, or simply known as the Giants Brigades, is a pro-government Yemeni militia. Its fighters are mostly Southern Yemeni tribesmen from Lahej, Abyan and Dhale. They include Salafi students of Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadi'i's Dar al-hadith religious institute in Dammaj, Saada that were expelled by the Houthis in early 2014.^[4] The militia is part of the Yemeni Joint Forces and is the largest faction in the formation. The Giants Brigades also receives extensive support from the United Arab Emirates militarily and financially.^[5]

History

The brigades were originally in the former North Yemeni military since the early 1970s. After Yemen unified, these brigades saw intensive action in the 1994 civil war and continued to be an effective unit in the Yemeni military. The original Giants Forces are no longer officially present and have been broken up and distributed in different areas over the years. The current Giants Brigades are a relatively new force in Yemen. They emerged from the Southern Resistance that fought the Houthis in the South at the beginning of the conflict in 2015.^[6][7] They have shown their military power during the Al Hudaydah governorate offensive, where they have killed hundreds of Houthi militants.^[8]

In May 2018 the militia alongside Arab coalition forces took control of several pockets in Taiz from the Houthis, in the fighting several Houthi fighters were killed and several pieces of their equipment were either damaged or destroyed. After taking control of the "Mocha Interception" in the city the militia alongside allied forces including other factions in the Joint Forces, the Tihamah Resistance and Yemeni National Resistance they began to advance towards the "Bara Junction" to cut the Houthis' supply lines.^[9]

Although many members of the Giants Brigades are known to be Salafists, most of them are first and foremost southerners.^[10][11]

In December 2021, the Giants announced it had sent troops to Shabwa province "to liberate areas that fell into Houthi hands",^[12] driving out the rebels in just two weeks.^[13][14][15] They also seized southern areas of neighbouring Marib province,^[16] where the rebels and loyalists have been engaged in a months-long battles to seize its strategic capital city.^[17] After completing military operation Storm of the South the Southern Giants announced the redeployment of its forces after having "completed its mission" and that its troops remain on the frontlines ready to repel any Huthi attacks.^[18]

On 7 April 2022, the Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi issued an order dismissing Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar and delegating his powers to a newly formed presidential council to lead the country through a transitional period.^[19][20] The leader of the Giants Abdulrahman Abu Zara’a Al Muharrami is a member of this leadership council.^[21]

References

1. "Yemeni forces on the offensive to take Hodeidah - in pictures". The National. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
2. "Backed by Saudi air support, Yemen troops advance deeper into Houthi rebel-held Hodeida". Japantimes.co.jp. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
3. "Yemen National Resistance, Brigades al-'Amalaqah and Tihama Forces prepare for massive military campaign to liberate Hodeidah from Houthi clutches". Wam.ae. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
4. "Non-local Salafis evicted from Dammaj. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
5. "Who are the UAE-backed forces fighting on the western front in Yemen? - Yemen". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
6. admin (20 October 2018). "من هي ألوية العمالقة ومن أسسها وماهي إنجازاتها". المركز الإعلامي لألوية العمالقة (in Arabic). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
7. "The Houthis' retaliation for Shabwa". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
8. "Yemen: Averting a Destructive Battle for Hodeida". Crisis Group. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
9. "Yemeni giant's brigade forces take full control of Al Mocha intersection". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
10. "Security in South Yemen". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
11. "10 Conflicts to Worry About in 2022: Yemen". ACLED. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
12. Hulis, Saber (27 December 2021). "قوات العمالقة تنطلق من الساحل الغربي إلى الساحل الشرقي محافظة شبوة". المركز الإعلامي لألوية العمالقة (in Arabic). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
13. "Yemen's southern forces say they have liberated oil-rich Shabwa province from Houthis". The National. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
14. "Yemeni pro-govt forces say they have retaken Shabwa from Houthis". Reuters. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
15. Hulis, Saber (10 January 2022). "ألوية العمالقة تعلن تحرير جميع مديريات محافظة شبوة من مليشيات الحوثي". المركز الإعلامي لألوية العمالقة (in Arabic). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
16. Hulis, Saber (25 January 2022). "ألوية العمالقة تعلن تحرير مركز مديرية حريب بمحافظة مأرب". المركز الإعلامي لألوية العمالقة (in Arabic). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
17. "UAE-trained Giants put brakes on Yemen's Huthi rebels". MSN. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
18. Hulis, Saber (28 January 2022). "بعد استكمال عملية إعصار الجنوب العمالقة الجنوبية تبدأ نقل ألويتها إلى عرينها بجاهزية عالية". المركز الإعلامي لألوية العمالقة (in Arabic). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
19. "Yemen's president steps aside amid efforts to end war". AP NEWS. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
20. Ghobari, Mohamed; Tolba, Ahmed (7 April 2022). "Yemen president cedes powers to council as Saudi Arabia pushes to end war". Reuters. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
21. "A look at Yemen's new presidential leadership council and its powers". Al Arabiya English. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.