The US defence secretary says al-Qaeda has “seized the opportunity” in Yemen amid reports that fighters from the group had stormed a border post near Saudi Arabia.
Speaking during a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Ashton Carter said both the Houthis and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula were taking advantage of disorder following the collapse of Yemen’s central government.
Referring to AQAP activity in Yemen, Reuters news agency quoted him as saying: “We see them making direct gains on the ground there as they try to take territory, seize territory in these battle lines … we are observing that,” in an apparent reference to an AQAP attack on Tuesday of a Saudi border post that killed two soldiers.
Carter’s comments came as the US said it was supplying intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition bombing of Houthi rebel positions across Yemen, and pledged to expedite arms supplies to the Gulf kingdom.
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