Earlier this month a map of all the tribes in Yemen showed the conflict was far more complex than we could've ever imagined.
Yet there's one large force the map forgot to factor in, a force we've hardly heard about lately: al-Qaeda.
A map created by the Institute for United Conflicts Analysts is a stark reminder of the extremist group's presence. Despite tribal clashes throughout the country — rival factions of Houthi rebels pitted against exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's loyalists — al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) remains largely in control of central parts of the war-torn country.
AQAP and its allies are represented in gray, pro-government forces brown, and Houthi supporters red.
Besides reports of US drone strikes in Yemen targeting al-Qaeda leaders, not much has been said about the militants lately. Al-Qaeda has attacked and explicitly come out against both Hadi and the Houthis — but we have yet to see how the group's stance will play out in the country's civil war.
Thursday's map reflects pro-government troops regaining key parts of southern territories, including the port city of Aden, while the capital Sanaa (the western spot in dark red) remains a Houthi stronghold.
By Hayat Norimine
