Decisive Yemeni victory[2] Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula[1] Yemen Abu Hamza al-Zinjibari Nasir al-Wuhayshi Said Ali al-Shihri Qasim al-Raymi Ibrahim al-Asiri Qaed al-Dahab  (WIA) Ansar al-Shariah campaign (2011–14) Houthi rebellion (2014) Bombings and terrorist attacks in Yemen Houthi missile and drone attacks in Yemen Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia Houthi attacks on the United Arab Emirates U.S. raids on al-Qaeda Military operations Diplomacy Effects The 2012 Abyan offensive was an offensive by the Yemeni military against Islamist militant forces, possibly including elements of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), in the province of Abyan with the purpose of re-capturing the militant-held towns of Zinjibar and Jaʿār.

[dead link‍][11][12][13] On 31 May, fighting was reported on the northern and western outskirts of Ja'ar where troops, backed up by local tribal fighters, assaulted militant positions.

[17] On 11 June, warplanes bombed areas to the north and the west of Jaar and the Army attacked a hilltop munitions factory overlooking the town.

The militants reportedly distributed pamphlets in Jaar apologising to residents for dragging the town into a conflict with the army and for the damage caused by the fighting.

The adjacent province also saw intense fighting, with reports indicating at least 23 insurgents died on 14 June during clashes at gas facilities near Belhaf.

Military officials and residents said the bomber targeted tribesmen who sided with the Yemeni army during an offensive against Islamist fighters that the government hailed as a major victory in June.

[24] Abyan remained quiet for the following weeks, despite major attacks by AQAP against the central intelligence building in Aden on 18 August,[25] as well as the convoy of Yemeni Defense Minister Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahmed in the heart of the capital Sana'a.

[27] On 19 October militants set off a car bomb at an army base in Abyan Governorate, sparking a heavy firefight with security forces.

[30] In the beginning of December Amnesty International released a report on the fighting, accusing both sides in the conflict of "horrific" rights abuses and calling for an impartial government probe into events on the ground.

The London-based watchdog also accused Yemeni government troops of using air strikes, artillery and mortars to indiscriminately bombard civilian areas, resulting in scores of casualties, including many children.

[32] Al-Qaeda's fighters stormed Jaar and Zinjibar in early December 2015 and recaptured the towns,[33] later declaring them "Emirates", providing civilian services, and establishing a Sharia court.

In summer 2016 Yemeni government forces backed by Arab coalition aircraft and gunboats moved to retake the towns, and despite encountering "repeated suicide attacks" drove AQAP out of Zinjibar on 14 August 2016.