Islah Party Accused of Arming Al-Qaeda Through Smuggling Networks to Carry Out Bombings and Assassinations in Yemen’s Shabwa

Euro Times / Stockholm

Yemeni reports and local security sources have issued serious allegations against Yemen’s Islah Party, accusing it of providing weapons and ammunition to Al-Qaeda fighters in Shabwa governorate, in what is said to have contributed to a wave of bombings and targeted assassinations across the region, including the provincial capital Ataq.

According to multiple Yemeni security sources, the weapons allegedly delivered to the extremist group included automatic rifles, explosive materials, and various types of ammunition. These supplies were reportedly funneled through local smuggling networks that exploited security gaps and contested zones within the governorate, enabling militant groups to launch attacks against security forces and key facilities.

The information suggests that this arsenal significantly strengthened Al-Qaeda’s operational capabilities in Shabwa in recent weeks, leading to heightened violence, fear, and instability, amid warnings of growing extremist activity across southern and eastern Yemen.

These allegations come within the context of a broader political and security debate over the relationship between certain Yemeni actors and extremist organizations, as well as the alleged use of armed groups as tools of pressure in the country’s internal conflict.

No official comment has yet been issued by the Islah Party regarding these claims, while calls continue for a formal investigation to uncover those involved in supporting terrorist organizations and hold them accountable.