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Caught On Tape: Suicide Bomber Detonates As Al-Qaeda Storms Checkpoint In Yemen

Tyler Durden's picture




 

These days it’s all about ISIS which means that al-Qaeda - the once proud bastion of international terrorism - has been relegated to also-ran status as the group struggles to compete in the face of Islamic State’s propaganda juggernaut. 

ISIS, via its Furat Media arm, is alarmingly effective at recruiting new members as slickly produced, 1080p depictions of battlefield victories and gruesome executions paint a picture of an extremist army on the rise, running roughshod over the enemies of the “caliphate.” Contrast this with images of al-Qaeda’s bespectacled leader Ayman al-Zawahiri sitting in front of a home movie camera ruminating on topics that, when compared to the grand pronouncements that emanate from ISIS, seem to belong to some bygone jihadist era when “principles” still mattered. 

But al-Qaeda is still out there believe it or not (even as ISIS refers to them as a bunch of donkeys) and one of the more active cells is AQAP in Yemen who, you’re reminded, was behind the Charlie Hebdo attacks. 

Of course AQAP now finds itself in the middle of Yemen’s civil war and the fact that the Houthis are Shiite and are backed by Tehran means AQAP and the Saudi-led coalition are effectively on the same side - for now. Of course AQAP also opposes the Hadi government, which will complicate matters should Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE succeed in restoring the President. Incidentally, Hadi returned to Aden from exile earlier this week. This is his second "trimuphant" return. He visited Aden back in Septemeber and left after three days. The Prime Minister fled to Riyadh last month after ISIS tried to blow him up.

So ultimately, this is just the same proxy war in a different theatre. The difference between Yemen and Syria is that in Syria, the Saudis and Qatar are fighting via proxies while Iran and Hezbollah are there in the flesh, while in Yemen, Iran is fighting via a proxy while Riyadh and Doha are there in the flesh. 

In any event, AQAP stormed a government checkpoint (remember, AQAP is with the Saudis on the whole "rout the Houthis" mission, but not on the "restore Hadi" push) in Shibam, which is colloquially known as "the Manhattan of the desert" for its densely packed "skyscrapers": 

Here's Reuters:

At least 15 Yemeni soldiers and 14 militants have been killed in an attack by al Qaeda on a military post in the eastern region of Hadramawt, a security source said.

 

Although Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has controlled the southern Hadramawt city of Mukalla and surrounding areas since early this year, it has not staged attacks on army positions elsewhere in the province for months.

 

The attack began with a suicide bomber detonating an explosive in his car at the military post, between the towns of Shibam and al-Qatn, followed by an assault by 25-30 militants, the security source said. Clashes in the area were still going on, he said.

 

Unverified footage on social media that purported to show the attack included a large blast followed by a big plume of smoke, and the sound of gunshots and distant voices shouting.

 

Bombing and shooting attacks were commonly directed against the army and police across Hadramawt from 2011 until the country's civil war heated up early this year with the start of a military campaign by a Saudi-led alliance.

 

Since then, AQAP has seized control of Mukalla and the coast of Hadramawt, but attacks inland receded. Like the Saudi-led coalition, AQAP's main enemy in Yemen is the Houthi militia, and unconfirmed reports say AQAP has been closely involved in fighting alongside units backed by the Saudis.

 

However, AQAP is also an enemy of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, whose government Saudi Arabia wants to restore via its military campaign.

Without further ado, here's the "unverified" footage mentioned above:

 

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Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:54 | 6817628 general ambivalent
general ambivalent's picture

Hmm, seems like the Paris attackers may have ordered their instructions from http://www.sendyourenemiesglitter.com/

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:04 | 6817647 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

"So ultimately, this is just the same proxy war in a different theatre. The difference between Yemen and Syria is that in Syria, the Saudis and Qatar are fighting via proxies while Iran and Hezbollah are there in the flesh, while in Yemen, Iran is fighting via a proxy while Riyadh and Doha are there in the flesh. "

So, was the suicide bomber Al  Queda, or Houthi?  Why is Al Queda fighting against Muslims, instead of against the Israeli's? Am I missing something?

BTW, great video, worth listening just for the background sounds.   Must Scratch Yemen off my bucket list.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:07 | 6817669 freewolf7
freewolf7's picture

A few less pachecks Langley has to give out on a Friday.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:09 | 6817677 Save_America1st
Save_America1st's picture

can we get back to calling them "homicide bombers"? 

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:15 | 6817709 PR Guy
PR Guy's picture

 

 

That place looks like the aftermath of a sandcastle competition for kids.

 

 

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:22 | 6817746 RafterManFMJ
RafterManFMJ's picture

I agree it looks pretty drab, but I'm guessing it's also pretty fire resistant.  

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:25 | 6817753 Calmyourself
Calmyourself's picture

This just isn't that hard,  ringfence the oilfields..  Let the sand peope fight over the desert, if they try to cross into Europe or cross oceans, their dead.  Easy..

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:49 | 6818134 hannah
hannah's picture

yes lets just fence in all the wealth and continue stealing it. pay off one guy and everyone else in the country get nothing. sounds like a plan with no ramifications....

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 13:06 | 6818198 847328_3527
847328_3527's picture

Nat'l Propaganda Radio is not going to like these goings on as they push for moar importation of refugees and bash the Republican candidates.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 13:21 | 6818268 balanced
balanced's picture

hannah,

It's more than a plan. It's called Saudi Arabia.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:09 | 6817956 Demdere
Demdere's picture

I agree, worth listening to for the background sounds of war and the size of the explosion.

Someone really needs to get KickEnder going.

**The design of a government that will prevent craziness is being done by software and hardware designers, soon we will have trustable nets and be able to engage in trusting exchanges anonymously.  Government after adjusting to all of the ramifications of that will be very different.  ‘KickEnder‘ is one of the concepts.

https://thinkpatriot.wordpress.com/2015/10/07/leboweski-enlightenment-5/

https://thinkpatriot.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/american-gestapo-agency-he...

https://thinkpatriot.wordpress.com/2015/07/04/ethics-questions-for-unsch...

This is Jim Bell's "Assassination Politics", political theory for the age of secure anonymity.

http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/jimbellap.htm

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:55 | 6817631 Osmium
Osmium's picture

A few more suicide bombers blowing themselvs up is just what the market needs to reach a new all time high.  The more people they take with them, the higher the market will go.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:13 | 6817696 ShorTed
ShorTed's picture

Makes sense, less money wasted on gov't benefits means lower taxes = higher profits.

Bullish

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:56 | 6817633 _ConanTheLibert...
_ConanTheLibertarian_'s picture

Looks like he was already on fire?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:56 | 6817635 thesonandheir
thesonandheir's picture

He was just practicing his new magic trick 'aaand he's gone'.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:04 | 6817663 kralizec
kralizec's picture

Sand Ninjas

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:56 | 6817639 One And Only
One And Only's picture

Probably another racist white tea party terrorist trying to bring the brown man down.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:59 | 6817644 cowdiddly
cowdiddly's picture

and 72 Caitlin Jenners await you in Hell.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:06 | 6817665 kralizec
kralizec's picture

Moriarty, again with the negative waves!

(shivers of horror)

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:54 | 6817873 MadVladtheconquerer
MadVladtheconquerer's picture

We see our role as essentially defensive in nature. While our armies are advancing so fast and everyone's knocking

themselves out to be heroes, we are holding ourselves in reserve in case the Krauts mount a counteroffensive which

threatens Paris... or maybe even New York. Then we can move in and stop them. But for 1.6 million dollars, we could become heroes for three days.

Woof.  Woof.  Woof.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 13:46 | 6818400 kralizec
kralizec's picture

Crazy... I mean like, so many positive waves... maybe we can't lose, you're on!

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:00 | 6817650 ToSoft4Truth
ToSoft4Truth's picture

If you have any old speaker magnets lying around go toss one on the side of a downtown building or stadium, then call it in.

LOL

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:06 | 6817655 roisaber
roisaber's picture

No. "Al-Qeada" is just a meaningless brand name the ethnic Houthi picked up as a symbol of resistance. They're Shiites, for one thing, and the Wahhabi of original flavor Al-Qeada ain't got time for that shit. This is a Yemeni civil war, born of decades of oppression, and the US justifies siding with the Saud abomination and a Vichy Yemeni regime by broadcasting far and wide that the Houthi civil defense militias are "Al-Qeada" when in reality they have no association beyond having affected the nomenclature to try to legitimize their resistance.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:55 | 6817883 Loocust
Loocust's picture

Where did you get this nonsense from? The Houthis and al-Qaeda are distinct and opposing parties in Yemen.

There are three parties in Yemen that control territory at this time (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yemen_war_detailed_map.png)

  • The Houthis in the east, roughly former North Yemen. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Divided_Yemen.svg)
  • The former government (supported by Saudi Arabia and allies) controls the west, roughly former South Yemen.
  • Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) controls a piece in the middle of what used to be South Yemen.

 

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:00 | 6817905 roisaber
roisaber's picture

Hmm, looks like I stand corrected. I didn't realize that there was an "Al Qeada" branch of the Saudi terror machine in Yemen fighting alongside their army, but it looks like you're right - http://www.wsj.com/articles/al-qaeda-fights-on-same-side-as-saudi-backed...

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:03 | 6817660 MadVladtheconquerer
MadVladtheconquerer's picture

And this is newsworthy because.....

A) he had a French passport that he instructed be left to CNN after he was dispatched to his virgins

B) its a distraction from the fact that the markets are soaring again

C) its a perfect illustration of why not to fight the Fed

D) all of the above

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:04 | 6817664 Who was that ma...
Who was that masked man's picture

Now I see why they call it ShiBAM.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:06 | 6817667 sgorem
sgorem's picture

practice run for the "manhattan of the west" ?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:08 | 6817674 Agent P
Agent P's picture

"These days it’s all about ISIS which means that al-Qaeda - the once proud bastion of international terrorism - has been relegated to also-ran status as the group struggles to compete in the face of Islamic State’s propaganda juggernaut."

 

Judean People's Front?  We're the People's Front of Judea!!!  Judean People's Front...Cawk.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:10 | 6817686 hedgeless_horseman
hedgeless_horseman's picture

 

 

Splitters!

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:51 | 6817865 Brooks_Orpington
Brooks_Orpington's picture

Blessed are the cheese makers.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:17 | 6817721 Panic Mode
Panic Mode's picture

They are competing for the top spot of terrorist chart

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:19 | 6817730 Deus Irate
Deus Irate's picture

I beg your pardon, is this a piece of your brain?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:39 | 6817820 cheech_wizard
cheech_wizard's picture

http://nypost.com/2015/11/20/skanky-suicide-bomber-used-to-be-a-selfie-t...

The explosive vest she triggered killed a police dog named Diesel and ripped her to shreds, sending her head and spine hurtling out a window.

Standard Disclaimer: Damn, no video...

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:50 | 6817860 Brooks_Orpington
Brooks_Orpington's picture

Kind of redefines "giving head."

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:21 | 6817744 22winmag
22winmag's picture

The South was right!

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:36 | 6817798 HalinCA
HalinCA's picture

"the Manhattan of the desert" for its densely packed "skyscrapers"

 

11 story mud brick structures ...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibam

 

People in Arizona havde a lot to learn ... 

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:37 | 6817807 Guitarbill
Guitarbill's picture

What? No Alans Snackbar chant? Does this count? Maybe no 72 virgins...but what if it's woman?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:48 | 6817848 MadVladtheconquerer
MadVladtheconquerer's picture

Then she gets to spend eternity w/ Nick the Dick:

From Bachelor Party:

"Should we call you Nick or is it Mr Dick?"

"Is that the footlong?"  "And then some."

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 11:42 | 6817828 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

I'm fast approaching 'Goat Humping Muslim Fatigue Syndrome'.

The sooner they kill each other off, the better.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:08 | 6817954 css1971
css1971's picture

Good, these guys are on our side today! Or?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:10 | 6817963 patrickhenry61
patrickhenry61's picture

What is the biggest selling cleaning fluid in the Middle East? KABOOM!!!!!

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:17 | 6818003 dexter_morgan
dexter_morgan's picture

which is colloquially known as "the Manhattan of the desert" for its densely packed "skyscrapers": 

fer fucks sake, that looks more like the future city in Idiocracy than Manhattan. If you pan the area you'll find the 2 building roped together in there somewhere.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:30 | 6818056 smacker
smacker's picture

Who gets to scoop up the body parts from that lot?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:39 | 6818095 Reichstag Fire Dept.
Reichstag Fire Dept.'s picture

I'm totally getting an apartment there!!! ...open a night club and liquor store...

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:48 | 6818125 Palladin
Palladin's picture

I'm thinking this probably wouldn't be Politically Correct nowadays. Especially with all the dust up going on at VW over emmissions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLtCPY-U8pc

 

.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:49 | 6818133 whoopsing
whoopsing's picture

Hey, nice buildings you got there, btw have you ever heard of a plumb bob ?

 

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:55 | 6818164 RealityCheque
RealityCheque's picture

That'll teach you to drink cider and eat pickled eggs before an ambush.

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 13:07 | 6818204 847328_3527
847328_3527's picture

Is there an app for this?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 13:28 | 6818306 viator
viator's picture

Are you going to be a pitcher or a catcher in this world war?

“You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.”

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 13:35 | 6818348 Jethro
Jethro's picture

Ughhh, looking at the pictures of those buildings, all of which appear to be leaning ever so slightly in different directions, sets off my alarms.

So are the bricks those structures made out of dried camel dung and straw?

Fri, 11/20/2015 - 15:25 | 6818820 Hannibal
Hannibal's picture

".....the tracking of movement and communications of Islamic State terrorists known to be planning attacks—4 of whom were secretly transported from Syria to the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey where they then boarded a US Army cargo flight bound for Joint Base Andrews located near Washington D.C. Authorizing the transport of these Islamic State terrorists to America, this report continues, was US Army Lieutenant General Ron Lewis—who aside from being the top Pentagon aide to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, had also been the main liaison between the Pentagon and France last week for a massive terror exercise that took place the morning of the Friday the 13th Paris Massacre.

Hours before the beginning of this mass-shooter exercise in Paris the morning of 13 November, this report says it’s important to note, the 4 Islamic terrorist leaders who were secreted out of Syria to Washington D.C. were brought to the Pentagon to meet with General Lewis (who himself had just returned from Paris) immediately after which Defense Secretary Carter fired him, the man just a month ago he had praised by stating: “It’s my privilege, also, to work closely with some of the terrific soldiers, and I want to take a moment to recognize some of them who are right around me every day, starting with my senior military assistant, Lt. Gen. Ron Lewis. Time after time, whenever I’ve needed Ron’s counsel and vision, I’ve been able to count on him.

Thanks, my friend.” As to the whereabouts of the 4 Islamic State terrorists General Lewis secreted into America immediately before his firing, this report says, it is not know at this time—but a secret internal US police bulletin for them has been issued, which was subsequently made public after this grave notice was leaked by “unnamed/unknown” sources to WTTG-TV reporter Emily Miller."

https://www.intellihub.com/confirmed-emergency-personnel-conducted-simul...

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