| Battle of Al Masini valley | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theYemeni Civil War (2014–present), theSaudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, andHadramaut Insurgency | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula |  Hadrami Elite Force United Arab Emirates | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown | Faraj al-Bahsani | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Sons of Hadhramaut | Hadrami Elite forces | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 19 killed[1] | 8 killed[2] | ||||||
TheBattle of Al Masini Valley, code namedOperation Al Faisal by theSaudi-led coalition, was an operation conducted by the UAE-backedHadhrami Elite Force with backing from theUAE Armed Forces to clear theAl-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) controlled stronghold of Al-Masini Valley in centralHadhramaut governorate.
After being ousted from theiremirates inAbyan andShabwah governorates in 2012through a government offensive, AQAP began shifting activities to the easternHadhramaut governorate.[3] AQAP captured much of Hadhramautincluding its capital of Mukalla in 2015 amid the breakout of theYemeni civil war.[4] Mukalla, along with most of Hadhramaut was recaptured by the Yemeni army along with coalition forces in 2016.[5] After being ousted from power, AQAP continued maintaining a presence in the governorate, waging an insurgency against the government and the coalition.
Al-Manisi Valley was an AQAP stronghold in central Hadhramaut used as an operation room for its activities in the region.[6]
On 16 February 2018, the Hadrami Elite Force surrounded Al-Manisi Valley.[7] The next day, the Hadrami Elite, backed by coalition aircraft and UAE ground support, launched a preemptive attack from three axles that laid siege to Al-Manisi.[8][9] By 18 February, Hadrami Forces had entered the valley and began to slowly retake all areas in and around it. On 18 February, Hadhrami Elite Forces were pushing into the valley from the lower and western entrance.[10] Following fierce fighting over the day, AQAP forces retreated as Hadrami forces gained full control of the valley and began pursuing them. After AQAP had completely fled, Yemeni security forces established military posts and patrols around the area.[11][6]
After capturing the valley, security forces confiscated equipment and ammunition used by AQAP. This included large caches of ammunition, mortar guns and missiles.
The governor of Hadhramaut, Major GeneralFaraj Al-Bahsani, declared that the operation was a success and that others like it will follow until the region was fully rid of AQAP.[12]
