World View: Al Qaeda in Yemen Bombs Iranian Ambassador’s House, Killing Six

This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• AQAP in Yemen bombs Iranian ambassador’s house, killing six
• AQAP in Yemen threatens to kill journalist not saved by failed US rescue attempt

AQAP in Yemen bombs Iranian ambassador’s house, killing six

Aftermath of bombing of Iranian ambassador’s home in Sanaa Yemen (Reuters)

A car bomb exploded near the home of Iran’s ambassador to Yemen onWednesday, killing six people and injuring seventeen. Hossein Niknamhad only just become Iran’s ambassador a few days before, and wasapparently the target of the bombing, though he was not at home andwas unharmed.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has claimed responsibilityfor the attack. In addition, their statement boasted that “despitethe security precautions put in place by the Yemeni regime forces andthe Houthi political committees, the mujahideen managed to park theexplosive laden vehicle and detonate it at 9:02 am (local time).”

Sectarian Sunni versus Shia violence has been growing in Yemen eversince the Iran-backed Shia Houthi tribes from northern Yemen invadedthe capital city Sanaa in September and took control of thegovernment. On October 9, a suicide bomber struck a Houthicheckpoint, killing 47 people. AQAP are still holding embassy stafferNour Ahmad Nikbakht, who was abducted in July last year.

Saba News (Yemen) andThe National (UAE) and Long War Journal

AQAP in Yemen threatens to kill journalist not saved by failed US rescue attempt

AQAP has threatened to kill 33-year-old Luke Somers, an Americanphotojournalist born in Britain who AQAP kidnapped inSeptember, 2013 from Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen.

US officials have for the first time public acknowledgeda failed attempt to rescue Somers last month. According tothe White House:

As soon as the US government had reliableintelligence and an operational plan, the president authorized theDepartment of Defense to conduct an operation to recover MrSomers. Regrettably, Luke was not present.

However, in the assault on a cave, US and local security forcesrescued six Yemenis, a Saudi and an Ethiopian, and killed seven AlQaeda kidnappers.

AQAP commander Nasser Bin Ali Al Ansi issued a video condemning theAmerican “stupidities” — attempts to rescue abducted hostages, andgave Washington three days to meet al-Qaeda’s demands or “otherwise,the American hostage held by us will meet his inevitable fate.” Thevideo does not specify the demands, but says that Washington is awareof them. Reuters and AP

KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Iran, Yemen, Houthis, Hossein Niknam,Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, Nour Ahmad Nikbakht,Luke Somers, Nasser Bin Ali Al Ansi
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