An Early question on AQAP in Sa’dah

My schedule hasn’t really allowed me the time to blog, but I have been thinking about AQAP’s statement on the suicide attacks in north Yemen last week.

The statement – at least from my reading – references both attacks (the assumption has been that they were both suicide attacks) and the statement makes clear that at least one of them was and probably both although I think it is ambiguous on this point.

But this brings me to my biggest question about the statement and that is why does it not mention either the identity of the suicide bomber(s) or the date and place of the operation(s). Those three markers are usually standard fare in AQAP’s statement of responsibility, so why are they missing this time? I can’t think of another statement that claimed credit for a suicide attack that failed to include those three identifying marks, so why are they absent here? The statement, as I read it, is much more general one than it is specific.

There is still much, much more to unpack here – as well as the kidnapping and release of a Saudi doctor. But that will all have to wait for more free time.