The South Yemen insurgency is a series of protests and attacks on government forces in southern Yemen since 27 April 2009. The insurgency comes amid the Shia insurgency in the country's north as led by the Houthi communities. Southern leaders led a brief, unsuccessful secession in 1994 following unification. Many of them are involved in the present secession movement. Southern separatist insurgents are active mainly in the area of former South Yemen, and also in Dhale Governorate which was not a part of the independent southern state.
Background
The modern country of Yemen was split into two countries from 1967 to 1990: the Yemen Arab Republic, or North Yemen, and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, or South Yemen. Ali Abdullah Saleh became president of North Yemen in 1978. His government had poor relations with the Zaydis, a branch of Shia Muslims, mainly located in North Yemen and southern Saudi Arabia.
Saleh eventually led the effort to unify North and South Yemen, which happened in 1990; he became president of the new Republic of Yemen. While developing the new country, Saleh found opposition in Sunni Muslims and residents of former South Yemen, who felt that he was changing the country too much in the pursuit of unification. The southerners also felt like they were being given second-class status compared to the north. Saleh would stay in power for decades, forcefully suppressing his opposition. In 1994, a civil war broke out when opposing southerners tried to secede into their own country like before; this was quickly won by Saleh, who kept the country unified.
In 1998, al-Qaeda in Yemen (AQY) a branch of the militant organization al-Qaeda, began an insurgency against Saleh's government in an attempt to control the region, which continues to this day. At the time, al-Qaeda was run by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. After al-Qaeda's 11 September attacks in 2001, bin Laden hid in Pakistan, and Ayman al-Zawahiri dealt with much of al-Qaeda's affairs in his stead. In 2009, al-Zawahiri merged AQY and al-Qaeda of Saudi Arabia into al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). It became one of the most powerful al-Qaeda subsidiaries.
In the early 2000s, the Zaydis' opposition to Saleh grew, resulting from his marginalization of the group, and his support of the United States' war on terror and 2003 invasion of Iraq. This led to the founding of the Houthis, a Shi'ite opposition movement and organization. In 2004, Yemen issued an arrest warrant for the movement's founder, Hussein al-Houthi, leading to the Houthis' insurgency against the government. Al-Houthi was killed by government forces, and the Houthi leadership soon passed to his brother, Abdul-Malik. He has been their leader since then. The insurgency continued for years, as the Houthis became enemies of Saudi Arabia. Iran, a historical adversary of the Saudis, began sending financial and military aid to the Houthis around 2009, bringing Yemen into the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy war.
Insurgents
The political movement behind the insurgency is a group called the Southern Movement. Led by exiled southern Yemeni leaders and opposition figures, this group initially called for peaceful protests. However, their protests turned into riots, some with armed fighters. The insurgency has occasionally been linked by the Yemeni government to Islamist groups, including ex-military commanders and South Yemeni tribes. South Yemen is home to several jihadist movements, some of which are believed to be affiliated with al-Qaeda, most notably a group called the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army. Naser al-Wahishi, the leader of AQAP, expressed support for the South Yemeni separatist movement. However leaders of the Southern Movement were quick to deny any links with al-Qaeda. Many believe that Saleh's government used al-Qaeda as a means to win international support against insurgencies in the North and South. As a response to such accusations, Tariq al-Fadhli—one of the leaders of the Southern Movement—posted a video of himself on YouTube raising the American flag with the national anthem over his compound in an attempt to openly distance himself from al-Qaeda.
There are many leaders within the movement, including Fadi Hassan Ahmed Baoum who is head of the Southern Movement's Supreme Council. He was arrested and later released by Yemeni authorities. Meanwhile, Tahir Tamah has been said to be behind the group's militant faction.
Insurgency
2009
On 28 April, 14 people were injured and one soldier was killed as separatist militants attacked a checkpoint in Mukalla; this was the 7th soldier to be killed in South Yemen secessionist violence.
On 3 May, one man was killed and four were injured in a bomb blast carried out by separatist militia.
On 4 May, armed South Yemeni protesters ambushed a military base in the south, killing one soldier.
On 8 June, two people were killed and four were wounded during protests in the south, bringing total casualties to 11 soldiers and 11 others killed.
On 25 July, one person was killed and four were injured as protesters clashed with police in Dhaleh.
On 28 July, four Yemeni soldiers are killed as armed men attack a government checkpoint in the south. It was said supporters of Tareq al-Fadhli, an Islamist leader who called for protests in response for the death of 16 people at a separatist rally, were responsible
On 25 October, gunmen ambushed a vehicle carrying the body of a soldier killed in Saada, the ambush killed two soldiers and injured three.
On 1 November, armed rebels attacked the headquarters of security corps in Abyan Governorate, killing one soldier and kidnapping the Deputy Governor of Abyan, Adel Hamoud al-Sabri.
2010
On 24 January, in Shabwa Governorate, three members of Yemen's security forces were killed after an attack on a checkpoint.
On 25 January, during riots, one policeman was killed while 11 policemen and three schoolchildren were injured.
On 27 January, separatists shoot dead a policeman in Al-Ghaydah.
From 1 to 24 February, the government arrested 130 separatists in South Yemen.
On 13 February, riots in al-Hawta city, Lahij Governorate, left one dead and seven injured. According to Hawta security director Ali Ammar: "Separatist elements blocked the roads, opened fire randomly and hurled a grenade at a security patrol, killing a citizen and injuring others."
On 17 February, Tareq al-Fadhli announced that starting on the 20th, the next phase of the South Yemeni uprising would begin with mass protests and civil disobedience campaign. The man who died was a protester and another five protesters were arrested. However, in a separate clashes armed separatists killed a soldier and wounded three in Shabwa Governorate.
On 20 February, separatists kill the director of a criminal investigations unit and one of his guards in an ambush on a government convoy, another three people were injured. In a separate incident, clashes erupted between security forces and gunmen in Dhale.
On 22 February, Faris al-Dhama, a South Yemeni activist, was arrested and killed by the Yemeni government.
On 23 February, a soldier was killed by armed separatists in Dhale Governorate.
On 26 February, a soldier was killed in an ambush in Abyan Governorate.
On 27 February, Yemen declared a state of emergency in southern Yemen. This followed a rise in attacks against soldiers.
On 1 March, a Southern Yemeni activist accused of links with al-Qaeda, was killed in an armed attack against his home, along with his wife, son, and daughter, as well as two policemen. Another policemen was wounded. Elsewhere, 19 people were killed in a bombing in the city of Ta'izz.
On 11 March, two militants were killed and ten others wounded in clashes with police. Six policemen were also wounded.
On 1 April, an argument between inmates from the separatist Movement for the Independence of Southern Yemen and guards resulted in a bomb being thrown and up to forty inmates escaping in Dhale. Four were reported injured. On 15 April, two militants were wounded during a riot after a demonstration in Dhale city.
On 4 June, a Yemeni colonel and two of his bodyguards were killed in an attack.
On 20 June, two officers were killed in an ambush in Dhale Governorate. On 23 June, three soldiers were killed in fighting in the governorate. On 24 June, three soldiers and a civilian were killed, and eight others wounded in clashes in the governorate.
On 25 June, one Southern Movement separatist was killed by security forces in Aden after a firefight erupted during anti-government protests. On 7 July, two demonstrators died and four were injured when police attempted to break up anti-government protest in Aden.
On 27 July, separatists ambushed a security patrol in Lahij, killing four soldiers and wounding nine others. On 5 September, two people were killed and seven others were injured Sunday in clashes between security forces and militants in Lahij Governorate. On 17 December, clashes killed four Yemeni soldiers and an army officer after soldiers shot dead a Southern Movement member, Abbas Tanbaj, in Habilain in Lahij Governorate. Eight additional people are reported wounded, including five soldiers, two militants, and a civilian.
2011
On 8 January, Southern Movement militants attacked a checkpoint in al Malah district in Lahij Governorate. At last two soldiers were killed and another was injured in the attack. On 10 January, clashes in the governorate killed at last two soldiers. On 12 January, fighting between southern separatists and soldiers in the governorate killed four Yemeni soldiers and wounded ten others.
On 13 January, southern Movement supporters demonstrated in Mukallah in Hadramawt Governorate demanding that detained militants be released. One militant was killed and two others were wounded.
On 16 January, one woman was killed and seven civilians were wounded in Habilain in Lahij Governorate during fighting. The army reported that four of its soldiers were wounded during the clashes.
2011 Yemeni revolution
On 24 February, at least one civilian was killed during a Southern Movement protest in the city of Lawder in Abyan Governorate.
On 28 March, in Shabwa Governorate, the Southern Movement attacked and looted Central Security camps, taking control of Nessab, Al-Saaed, Haban and Maefaa districts of the governorate.
On 4 April, southern separatists stormed military checkpoints in Lahij Governorate. The clashes left one soldier dead and five soldiers wounded.
On 20 April, gunmen attacked security forces at a protest in Khormaksar city in Aden Governorate, killing one soldier and wounding at least four other people. Some witnesses report that the gunmen were connected to the Southern Movement.
On 10 June, suspected Southern Movement militants attacked a military checkpoint outside al Habilain in Lahij Governorate. At least five soldiers and three rebels were killed. On 16 June, gunmen linked with the Southern Movement shot and killed two Yemeni soldiers in Lahij Governorate.
On 24 June, at least three soldiers and a passerby were killed in an attack led by South Yemen militants in Al-Mansoura. A notable southern secessionist, Jeyab al Saadi, was killed when security forces opened fire on the funeral procession in Aden. On 1 July, an armed militant from the Southern Movement was killed in an attack on an army position in Aden. Six others, including three soldiers, were injured in the clash. Southern Movement was blamed for an ambush in Aden on 9 July, against a security patrol killing a Yemeni army officer and two troops. Two civilians were also wounded in the attack.
On 23 August, armed tribesmen backed by the Southern Movement captured a prison in Lahij. Government forces were unable to counter the heavy fire and surrendered. Over 20 prisoners were freed.
2012
The Southern Movement, like the Houthis, rejected a GCC brokered deal between the GPC and Al-Islah and boycotted the February 21, 2012 presidential election leaving Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi as only candidate.
2014
On 17 January, clashes between Yemeni troops and secessionist militants killed four people, two of them soldiers. The fighting broke out when the militants ambushed a military vehicle, killing the soldiers and wounding four others, a military source told AFP.