Battle of Al Masini valley

Battle of Al Masini valley
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present), the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, and Hadramaut Insurgency
Date 17–18 February 2018 Location Masini valley, Hadramaut Governorate, Yemen Result Coalition victory 70% of Al Masini valley cleared of AQAP Islamists^[1]
Belligerents
al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula	Hadrami Elite Force  United Arab Emirates
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Maj. Gen. Faraj al-Bahsani
Units involved
Sons of Hadhramaut	Hadrami Elite forces
Strength
unknown	unknown
Casualties and losses
19 killed^[2]	8 killed^[2]

The battle of Al Masini valley, code named Operation Al Faisal by the coalition, was an operation to clear the Al-Qaeda controlled stronghold of Al Misini valley in Hadramut province.^[2]

Background

Further information: Hadramaut Insurgency and Battle of Mukalla (2016)

Battle

On February 17, 2018 Hadrami Elite Forces, backed by heavy UAE aerial support, launched Operation Al-Faisal, an offensive to retake Al-Masini Valley from AQAP militants. The offensive began when Hadrami Elite Forces launched a preemptive attack from three directions, that laid siege to all AQAP militants in the valley. On February 18 Hadrami Elite Forces had entered the valley and begun to slowly retake all areas in and around the valley. After fierce fighting for 48 hours, AQAP militants retreated from the valley and Hadramai forces gained full control over an operation room that was run by AQAP militants in the valley and confiscated the equipment and ammunition used by the terror group in carrying out its criminal operations. The governor of Hadhramaut, Major General Faraj al-Bahsani declared that the operation was a success and that others like it, will follow until the region was fully rid of AQAP. Furthermore, while combing the area, large caches of ammunition, including mortar guns and missiles were found and the Yemeni forces secured the entire zone by staging military posts and patrol units across the surrounding plateaus to preempt any counter offensives by the AQAP militants.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][2][10]}

Aftermath

After AQAP retreated, Hadrami Elite chased them for several kilometers before ceasing pursuit and establishing positions and checkpoints.^[11][12]

References

1. "تطهير 70% من معقل القاعدة في حضرموت اليمنية". 19 February 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
2. . Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
3. . Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
4. "التحالف العربي يطلق "عملية الفيصل" لتطهير حضرموت". 18 February 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
5. "Armed forces purge al-Qaeda from Mesinivalley of Hadhramout". وكالة الانباء اليمنية Saba Net :: سبأ نت. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
6. . gulftoday.ae. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
7. "Bahrain News Agency - Coalition begins to sweep Al Qaeda from Hadramaut". www.bna.bh. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
8. Almasdaronline. . Almasdaronline.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
9. "إحكام السيطرة على أهم أوكار القاعدة في حضرموت". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
10. WAM/Hatem Mohamed (2018-02-22). "وكالة أنباء الإمارات - Yemen's Wadi Al Masini liberated from Al Qaeda". Wam.ae. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
11. الإلكترونية, صحيفة سبق. "اليمن.. النخبة الحضرمية تُواصل عملية الفيصل ضد القاعدة في حضرموت". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
12. "تطهير 70% من معقل القاعدة في حضرموت". 18 February 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

14°39′54″N 48°54′00″E / 14.665°N 48.900°E / 14.665; 48.900