Washington takes aim at AQAP supporters with more sanctions

The United States has expanded its campaign against individuals linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) with a raft of new sanctions. Drone strikes remain a primary instrument in America’s counter-terrorism strategy in Yemen, but limited human intelligence capabilities and a breakdown in the flow of information from President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government have forced the US to focus on new tactics to disrupt the jihadist organisation. This could yet cause problems in terms of US-Saudi relations. Yemeni sources predict the relationship will undoubtedly suffer as a growing number of individuals and organisations living in or supported by Saudi Arabia are designated by Washington as terrorists or financial supporters of AQAP.