Ansar al-Sharia (Yemen)

جماعة أنصار الشريعة‎ (Jamāʿat Anṣār aš-Šharīʿa) Partisans of Shari'a
Participant in the Yemeni Revolution, al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen, Yemeni Civil War, and the War on Terror
Black Standard
Active	2011–present
Ideology	Salafism[1] Salafi jihadism Religious nationalism[2]
Leaders	Qasim al-Raymi
Headquarters	al-Mukalla, Hadhramaut
Area of operations	Yemen; Sana'a and the Abyan region: Zinjibar, Ja'ar, Shuqrah and surrounding areas.
Strength	1,000–3000+[3][4]
Part of	AQAP
Originated as	al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Allies	al-Qaeda Al-Shabaab[5]
Opponents	Yemeni government  United States[6] Houthis
Battles and wars	Yemeni insurgency Battle of Zinjibar Siege of Dammaj Battle of Dofas 2012 Abyan offensive 2012 Sana'a bombing 2013 Sana'a attack Yemeni Civil War Southern Yemen offensive (2015) Battle of Al Mukalla

Jama'at Ansar al-Shari'a (Arabic: جماعة أنصار الشريعة‎‎; Jamāʿat Anṣār aš-Šharīʿa), also known as Ansar al-Shari'a, is a Yemen-based umbrella organization which includes units from several militant Islamic groups of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.^[7] After the Battle of Zinjibar, the faction has taken control over some cities in southern Yemen in which it has instated emirates. Ansar ash-Shari'a have also claimed responsibility for the 2012 Sana'a bombing and the 2013 Sana'a attack.^[8]

On 4 October 2012, the United States Department of State amended its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations to designate Ansar al-Sharia in Yemen as an alias for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, rather than listing it as a separate organisation. On the same day, the group was also listed by the United Nations 1267/1989 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.^[9] New Zealand also listed it as a terror group.^[10]

In February 2015, it was reported that some members had split from the group and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^[11]

References