News Analysis: Terrorism spreads further beyond Yemen as AQAP claims Paris attack

Al-Qaida on Wednesday claimed responsibility for last week's attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris, raising concerns that terrorism is spilling further beyond Yemen.

In an online video, an AQAP leader said the group had carried out the attack under the order from Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the leader of the global terrorist network.

Observers said Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is gaining momentum due to the power vacuum caused by the political upheaval in Yemen in 2011, and deepened by pro-longed conflicts after that.

Abdul Salam Muhammad, who heads the ABAAD studies and research center in Sanaa, said the recent power struggle among the Yemeni government, Houthi militia and other political forces have helped spread chaos in the country, providing an even more fertile ground for AQAP growth.

DOUBLE FAILURE

Observers said the failure to address political unrest in Yemen despite UN-backed reconciliation efforts and unsuccessful counter terrorism operations have hampered the struggle against growing AQAP threats.

Fuad Alsalahi, a political sociology professor at Sanaa University, said the West has been fighting terrorism in the Middle East, with consequences both inside the region and in the West.

"AQAP attacks echoes Western military interventions in the country; in both cases, the local governments have failed to prevent international terrorism and its causes," he said.

On the other hand, Alsalahi said, the West has failed to take necessary measures to protect itself from revenge by al-Qaida.

"In this case, al-Qaida benefits from available opportunities to carry out successful operations against its enemies and gain further momentum," he added.

Yemeni officials said one of Kouachi brothers, who conducted the Charlie Hebdo attack, had travelled to Yemen for military training and met with AQAP leader Anwar al-Awlaki before Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in September 2011.

Yemen has been mired in unrest since 2011 when mass protests forced former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.

Regional and Western countries have been accused of involving in power struggle in Yemen by supporting their agents, during which observers said that anti-terrorism is seen as a key card in their struggle.

Nabil Albukiri, head of the Arab center for political studies and development, said the situation in Yemen, including its link to international terrorism, reveals attempts by some countries to transfer part of their struggle into Yemen.

"Only militant groups benefit from chaos and mixing cards paves the way for cross-border terrorism to travel easily and fast," he said.

NECESSARY ACTION

The AQAP, which has been active in Yemen since its founding in 2009, is seen as the most dangerous branch of the global al-Qaida network by Washington, as it has been blamed for a string of unsuccessful bomb plots against American targets.

The U.S. had conducted frequent drone strikes on suspected AQAP targets for years, but has reportedly paused such operations since November 2014 when al-Qaida was fighting the Shiite Houthi group, which took control of Yemen's capital in September.

Muhammad, of ABAAD, said the international community is backing the transition process in Yemen but, to prevent violence, it should support civilized and political factions to build a real state.

"Only the rule of law and authorities can bring stability," he said. "Militia, whatever their status or their power, will kill each other to destroy rather than build the country."

Observers also said the international community needs to study the links between widespread chaos in the region and how militant groups serve each other to effectively curb cross-border terrorism.

Najeeb Ghalab, a politics professor at Sanaa University, said Yemen needs sincere efforts by political factions to stop all forms of violence in political disputes.

"The international community should help Yemenis address foreign meddling, which inflames violence," Ghalab said.

"It seems the international community is very serious this time to eradicate all kinds of extremism," Ghalab said. "We hope double standard is not applied to militant groups anymore in Yemen." Endit