AP investigation: US allies cut deals with al-Qaida in Yemen
Source: Associated Press
By MAGGIE MICHAEL, TRISH WILSON and LEE KEATH
52 minutes ago
ATAQ, Yemen (AP) Again and again over the past two years, a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and backed by the United States has claimed it won decisive victories that drove al-Qaida militants from their strongholds across Yemen and shattered their ability to attack the West.
Heres what the victors did not disclose: many of their conquests came without firing a shot.
Thats because the coalition cut secret deals with al-Qaida fighters, paying some to leave key cities and towns and letting others retreat with weapons, equipment and wads of looted cash, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. Hundreds more were recruited to join the coalition itself.
These compromises and alliances have allowed al-Qaida militants to survive to fight another day and risk strengthening the most dangerous branch of the terror network that carried out the 9/11 attacks. Key participants in the pacts said the U.S. was aware of the arrangements and held off on any drone strikes.
Read more: https://apnews.com/f38788a561d74ca78c77cb43612d50da/Yemen:-US-allies-don%27t-defeat-al-Qaida-but-pay-it-to-go-away
Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)Even thought the money Iran got was seized assets.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,355 posts)Shortly after the money was flown to Baghdad, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt began their economic blockade of Qatar. They still accuse Qatar of having a "long history" of financing "terrorism".
...
Qatar is in a legal dispute with its neighbours about overflight rights. The question of whether the emirate's national carrier was used to make payments to "terrorists" will have a bearing on the case - one reason, presumably, why we were leaked this material.
Who would get the cash flown into Baghdad - and how much was there? Our original source - the government opposed to Qatar - maintains that it was more than $1bn, plus $150m in kickbacks, much of it destined for Kataib Hezbollah.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-44660369
dalton99a
(81,568 posts)turbinetree
(24,713 posts)Ghost Wars......................Steve Coll