In Yemen, rough geographic features and several internal conflicts inhibit Sanaa from eliminating the various militant groups that operate in the country, the most notable of which are the al-Houthi rebels and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants. The al-Houthi rebels primarily operate in the more densely populated northwest, where mountains provide some tactical protection from security forces. These mountains stretch into Saudi Arabia, enabling the al-Houthi fighters to engage in cross-border smuggling. The group has also expanded its territory into Amran and Hajja provinces, with the reported goal of controlling the Red Sea port of Midi in order to gain access to foreign weapons. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants, on the other hand, are predominantly located in the eastern province of Hadramawt. Relatively uninhabited and difficult to secure, this region has many of the defensive benefits of mountainous terrain, even though it is not as elevated as the mountains in the north. It is composed mostly of flat-topped mountains with steep ravines running through them. Movement from the high ground to the ravines, where the militants hide in their camps, and to caves down the steep cliffs that border them, is limited to fixed points. Invading security forces can only enter and exit these ravines through points where the edges are less steep, placing immense constraints on their freedom of movement during offensives against the militants. In addition to geography, the internal conflicts plaguing Yemen help facilitate the militants' survival by preventing the government from effectively tackling militant issues with its security apparatus. Since former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's ouster, Yemeni security forces — including the military and intelligence departments — have been severely divided. President Abd Rabboh Mansour Hadi has tried to balance the different factions against each other, but so far he has not been able to fully consolidate his power. Until Hadi is able to unite the military and security apparatuses, militants in Yemen will continue to destabilize the country and carve out more autonomy for their respective campaigns.
