There are so many things to discuss about this battle in Qifa and Yakla against AQAP and ISIS terrorists. Yemeni anti-aggression activists have been talking about all day long, describing it as one of the most decisive liberation ever in Yemeni revolutionary war since 2015.
The jihadi elements has long history of presence in NW #Bayda even before Saudi aggression started. At one time, these Wahhabis (migrated mostly from Marib) once captured Rada'a town in 2014 near Al Quraishyah district, but the new Houthi authorities retaken it after long battle.
You can read this old article from early 2015, recalling how Houthi Ansarullah rebels were fighting AQAP terrorists in Rada'a while the corrupt Hadi regime in Sanaa were sitting idle doing nothing to root out Wahhabi terrorism.
middleeasteye.net/news/houthi-re…
middleeasteye.net/news/houthi-re…
Whoever gets to control Al Bayda governorate will give wherever place you want to go in different directions in Yemen. This is the reason Houthi Ansarullah cannot afford to let it fell to pro-Hadi/Islah forces.
Demographically speaking, Al Bayda was a Zaydi heartland historically but locals today are mostly Sunnis. So again, many pundits are wrong to assume that all "Houthi fighters" are Zaydis when almost half of their members are actually Sunnis (some even are atheists and seculars).
AQAP & ISIS infestation in NW Bayda (also in Dhi Na'im/Al Zahir and Mukayras/Al Sawma'ah) have been a curse and misery to local residents there with their strict Wahhabi terrorist rule. They were not welcome, but they survive longer due to generous army supply from Marib side.
The long history of collaboration between Islah and terrorist groups like AQAP and ISIS are no stranger to Yemeni activists (and southern separatists) as they've been mentioning this many times, with chiefly Ali Muhsin al-Ahmar being main culprit behind funding extremist groups.
Yemeni anti-aggression activists have cited many times that its no coincidence every AQAP and ISIS presence always comes from Hadi/Islah-controlled territories. We saw this in Al Jawf, Marib, Taiz, and Al Dhale. What happened in Al Bayda is the most crystal clear evidence.
What is even clearer is that the so-called "National Army" formed by Hadi/Islah gangs not only never attack AQAP and ISIS positions, there are plenty of cases where some of their regiments captured by Houthi Ansarullah (and STC forces) found out to be belonging to jihadi groups.
Activists also cited that Saudi aggression planes bombing Ansarullah positions while attacking terrorist forces are yet another clear evidence Al Saud is doing whatever it takes to prevent Yemenis from cleansing terrorism, and that Saudis are supporting terrorism everywhere.
Therefore, such swift advances in Qifa which lasted 8 days is why its hailed by many anti-aggression activists as one of the most epic and important battle in Yemeni war. It is a blow to terrorist groups, as well as Hadi/Islah agenda and overall Amerikan imperialist hegemony.
Now that Qifa and Qaniyah have witnessed their complete liberation as I've already foretold it since March. So what come's next?
Simple: Houthi Ansarullah will return to what they were doing previously in 2015, advancing from southern #Marib side to liberate rest of districts.
Simple: Houthi Ansarullah will return to what they were doing previously in 2015, advancing from southern #Marib side to liberate rest of districts.
Though I would like to say that this time, its not expected to focus a lot on eastern part of Harib and Al Abdiyah districts since they border towards southern governorate of #Shabwa. But that will depend if they would like to return there just to capture the strategic mountains.
There is no doubt that if you follow the frontline closely, the whole point of opening southern Marib battle is not only to join up with western and northern frontiers, but to eventually isolate Marib City as I've also foreseen it.
Expect Yemeni Army & Ansarullah to also send reinforcements from Bani Dhabyan and Khawlan side of #Sanaa governorate. But also do expect continuous fierce resistance from mainly pro-Islah Murad tribes as long as they're led by Mohammed Shaalan, pro-Hadi's Marib security director.
And just like Al Jawf and Bayda fronts, eventually it will come to a point Houthi Ansarullah and local tribal sheikhs have to reach a peace agreement where they understood that only solution is nothing but expulsion of Hadi/Islah gangs as well as terrorist elements.
This Yemeni war is still very far from being over, and AQAP (Ansar al-Sharia) is still presence at rest of Al Bayda and other governorates. But we can hope this will mark a true turning point in leading to eventual demise of reactionary regime ruling Yemen and sets a new dawn.
