Al-Qaeda Acknowledges the Death of One of Its Leaders… Who Was He?

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On Sunday, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula officially acknowledged the death of one of its senior military commanders, four days after an explosion targeted a motorcycle in Ma’rib, eastern Yemen.

The organization released a statement mourning the loss of Mohammed Saeed Al-Mohammedi, also known as “Abu Yusuf Al-Hadrami“, without mentioning the death of Abu Asim Al-San’ani, who succumbed to his injuries in the same attack.

The statement confirmed that Al-Mohammedi was killed by a “bomb planted by treacherous and traitorous hands,” referring to the explosion that targeted him and Al-San’ani last Thursday in the Al-Sumada area of Al-Wadi district, eastern Ma’rib.

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Who Was Al-Hadrami?

Originally from Al-Days in the city of Al-Mukalla, Mohammed Saeed Al-Mohammedi held religious and military positions within Al-Qaeda and was previously appointed as the emir of Al-Mukalla.

He was among the key Al-Qaeda leaders arrested by Yemeni intelligence in 2010 and imprisoned in Al-Mukalla Central Prison, the capital of Hadramout, on the Arabian Sea.

On June 26, 2011, Al-Mohammedi escaped with 62 Al-Qaeda members through a 35-meter underground tunnel, after killing a prison guard, according to a statement by the Yemeni Ministry of Interior at the time.

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Following his escape, he moved between southern Yemeni provinces, settling in Abyan and Al-Bayda, where he helped establish safe havens for Al-Qaeda operatives and leaders.

The statement also revealed that he was one of the prominent commanders in Al-Masini, a rural area near Al-Mukalla, before it was recaptured by the Arab Coalition and Hadrami Elite Forces in February 2018, during the “Al-Faisal Battle”.

Afterward, he fled to Al-Wadi’ah in Ma’rib, where many Al-Qaeda leaders have sought refuge, allegedly under the protection and support of the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Internal Conflict

Al-Mohammedi was killed alongside Abu Asim Al-San’ani, but Al-Qaeda’s statement did not mention the latter due to internal conflicts within the organization. Experts classify him among the “extremists” within Al-Qaeda.

According to specialists, Al-San’ani was one of Al-Qaeda’s longest-serving operatives, having fought in Iraq and Yemen, and was considered a third-tier leader. However, he was omitted from the statement due to power struggles within the group’s hierarchy.

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Al-Qaeda’s Rising Activity

Al-Mohammedi’s death comes amid a surge in terrorist operations carried out by Al-Qaeda against Yemeni government forces, including bombings, ambushes, and IED attacks, as well as suspicious movements in Shabwa and Abyan with the backing of the Houthi militias, according to government sources.

UN reports indicate that Al-Qaeda is strengthening its operational and manpower capabilities in southern Yemen, especially in Shabwa and Abyan, and has begun deploying drones in attacks, thanks to training provided by the Houthis, considered a strategic partner in enhancing its technological and operational capabilities.

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