PRESS RELEASE | Aug. 5, 2016
August 5: U.S. Central Command announces Yemen counterterrorism strike
August 5, 2016

Release Number 20160805-22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. — The U.S. military conducted a counterterrorism strike against al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula in the Shabwah Governorate in central Yemen.

The strike, conducted on August 4, killed three al-Qa’ida operatives.

Strikes against al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen put consistent pressure on the terrorist network and prevent them from plotting and executing attacks against U.S. persons, our homeland and our allies.

AQAP remains a significant threat to the region, the United States and beyond. Al-Qa’ida’s presence has a destabilizing effect on Yemen; it is using the unrest in Yemen to provide a haven from which to plan future attacks against our allies as well as the U.S. and its interests.

The U.S. will not relent in its mission to degrade, disrupt and destroy al-Qa’ida and its remnants. We remain committed to defeating AQAP and denying it safe haven regardless of its location. Strikes conducted by the U.S. in Yemen continue to diminish AQAP’s presence in the region.