Terrorism in Yemen Grows Larger Due to the Saudi War in Yemen: Report

Yamanyoon

Saudi Arabia’s U.S.-backed military campaign in Yemen, 3-year-old war, resulting in the worst humanitarian crisis worldwide, in addition, it is increasing terrorist threat.

After more than 1,000 days since the Saudi war in Yemen begun, more than 22 million Yemenis – which is bigger than the population of Florida – need a vast amount of international aid, with over a third of those on the verge of starvation. The war has also triggered the worst cholera outbreak in modern history and has infected more than one million Yemeni within a duration of 9 months, and on average five children are killed or injured each day from fighting, shortages, or disease. After three years of U.S. support for Saudi Arabia – including arms sales, refueling Saudi aircraft, and intelligence-sharing – the Trump Administration finally has begun to question the direction the conflict is headed.

Ending a humanitarian crisis that is considered the worst in the world by UN, is enough reason to make the congress vote on backing out from Yemen war. In addition, the country’s connection with international terrorism also demands a renewed American push to end the war.  It was in Yemen that al Qaeda bombed the USS Cole in 2000, killing 17 U.S. sailors, and Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has sought to blow up American airliners, including the failed 2009 “underwear bomber” attack.   More recently, ISIS has established a growing presence in Yemen.

U.S. airstrikes against terrorist targets in Yemen have failed holistically.  When AQAP’s forces are damaged, ISIS often fills the void. The intense Saudi bombardment of Yemen – since March 2015 a stunning average of one airstrike every 94 minutes – has neither brought Riyadh closer to achieving it’s ”objectives” nor done anything to alleviate the terrorism problem.  In fact, the Houthi forces, who are the principal targets of Saudi attacks, have been among the staunchest Yemeni opponents of ISIS.  Meanwhile, there are reports of AQAP fighters engaged alongside Saudi-supported Yemeni forces, combating Ansarullah.

Casualties among the civilians from the Saudi US-backed campaign is in danger of creating a generation of Yemenis who look at the United States as an enemy and an invader.

The Trump Administration took a huge first step in December, calling out Saudi Arabia for the humanitarian crisis that it has impacted in Yemen and demanding an end to a Saudi blockade of Yemen’s ports that prevented essential fuel, food, and medicine from reaching civilians.  Congress is increasingly focused on whether U.S. support for the Saudi air campaign is in America’s interests, and is questioning the legality of the Saudi blockade.

To save many lives of the oppressed Yemeni civilians, Saudi Arabia must accept the fact of negotiations are the only way to achieve stability in Yemen and Riyadh has failed to win on the battlefield.