Al Qaeda Responds to the Yemeni Offensive

A suicide bomber reportedly detonated a belt of explosives in Sanaa's al-Sabin Square the morning of May 21, killing at least 96 soldiers and wounding 300. The attack came during a rehearsal for a National Unity Day military parade set for May 22, and the explosives were detonated before the Yemeni defense minister and chief of staff were to greet the troops. Whether the bomber was a Yemeni soldier remains unclear. Yemeni officials indicated that the individual was dressed in an army uniform, and it would be difficult for an outsider to enter into a squad or platoon formation.

The high casualty rate of the May 21 attack is more unusual than the tactic it employed. If indeed the suicide bombing killed 96 people, it would be one of the most effective AQAP suicide bombings in Yemen in recent years.