Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki Takes Helm of AQAP Following Leader’s Death
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Yemen-based faction of the global terrorist network, announced Monday the death of its leader, Khaled Batarfi, and the appointment of Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki as the new head. The declaration was made through a video, though details regarding Batarfi’s demise were not provided.
Batarfi, also known as Abu Al-Miqdad Al-Kindi, who was Saudi, had led AQAP since 2020 following the death of Qassim Al Rimi in a US drone strike. His tenure saw continued insurgent activities against Yemeni government forces amid the nation’s prolonged conflict.
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The successor, Al Awlaki, also known as Saad Muhammad Atef, previously appeared in a video in February 2023, urging Sunni tribes in southern Yemen to oppose the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and the Southern Transitional Council.
AQAP, formed from the merger of al-Qaida factions in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, is considered one of the most dangerous branches of the terror network. The United Nations estimates its membership numbers between 3,000 and 4,000, funded through various criminal enterprises including bank robberies, arms trafficking, counterfeiting, and kidnappings.
The group has leveraged the ongoing chaos in Yemen to both extend its influence and intensify attacks against security and governmental targets. The civil war in Yemen, which began in late 2014, features the Houthi movement against the internationally recognized Yemeni government, further complicated by a Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in 2015.
