The Pentagon revealed Friday that in recent weeks the U.S. has sent a small number of U.S. military advisers to Yemen to provide intelligence, and assist in planning operations against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
A coalition of countries, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has recently retaken the port city of Mukalla, which fell into AQAP hands last year.
“We have provided limited support to the Arab coalition and this Yemeni operation in and around Mukalla,” said Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman.
“In particular we have been providing the Emiratis intelligence support, airborne [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], advice and assistance with operational planning, maritime interdiction and security operations, medical support and aerial refueling.”
Davis declined to say how U.S. troops deployed there, but stress the number was “very small.”
In addition, six ships, including three belonging to the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, with about 2,000 Marines, are off shore.
The Pentagon also revealed that since April 23, the U.S. has conducted four airstrikes in Yemen, killing 10 al Qaeda operatives.
Davis said those strikes were “separate and apart” from the assistance provided the Arab coalition, and were conducted under the U.S. counterterrorism authorities, which allows the U.S. to go after al Qaeda targets wherever they are.
“We do unilateral counterterrorism strikes against al Qaeda wherever we see it,” Davis said.
In March, the U.S. conducted a major airstrike on an al Qaeda training camp in Yemen.
