Latest Military Map of Yemen; Knowing the Parties Involved in the Yemen War (Map Update)

After the formation of the ceasefire agreement in Yemen on April 2, 2022 and three periods of extension and finally its expiration on October 3, 2022, the areas under the control of the Saudi coalition were affected by a forced change in the head of the presidency (Resignation of Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and formation of the Presidential Council). This issue caused a series of tensions between different factions, and finally a kind of political and military deadlock prevailed between different groups under the command of the Saudi coalition. Therefore, the control of each of the parties was established over the regions, and now it is possible to distinguish the regions under the control of the groups in Yemen with more precision.

The map of Yemen war has been accurately edited in accordance with the latest field situation until December 16, 2022 and with the following categories and it is as follows:

1- Ansar Allah and popular committees: (green color)
The areas under the control of Ansar Allah and popular committees include presence in 15 provinces in the west and center of Yemen, which include the capital, big cities and the majority of the country’s population. Despite the expiration of the cease-fire agreement with the mediation of the United Nations, there is no conflict in any of these fronts, and Ansar Allah is monitoring the fronts by carrying out various reconnaissance operations, as well as confronting the looting of Yemen’s oil resources by foreign tankers.
Ansar Allah Movement and the National Salvation Government of Yemen are supported by the majority of the Yemeni people and the General People’s Congress and other Yemeni parties, as well as the foreign support of Iran and Islamic resistance groups.

2- The Saudi coalition and the Saudi-backed government of Yemen (ie the resigned government of Mansour Hadi): (red areas and all map colors except green)
The areas under the control of the Saudi-led coalition forces include presence in 13 provinces of Yemen, which includes the largest area of this country. But the majority of these areas include desert and uninhabited areas. Despite this, the oil resources, the southern coast of Yemen and several strategic points are under the control of the Saudi coalition. The Saudi coalition uses these cases as tools to pressure Ansar Allah in negotiations.
Nevertheless, despite the access of the Saudi coalition to all the areas under the control of the anti Ansar Allah groups, the factions under this coalition have competition and armed conflict with each other to control these areas.
The structure of the resigned government of (Mansour Hadi) Yemen, like other countries involved in civil war, is a structure that divides positions and ministries between powerful factions in order to use the human power and military facilities of these factions against the main enemy. These factions include: Islah Party, Southern Transitional Council, Yemeni National Resistance under the command of Tareq Saleh, each of them have managed to influence and control parts of Yemen in recent years, especially after the resignation of Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the formation of the Presidential Council. Which is explained as follows:

3- Southern Transitional Council: (blue color)
The “Southern Transitional Council” (STC) is the name of a council consisting of the main currents of South Yemen, including Al-Hirak Al-Janoubi (Southern Movement), Southern Resistance and the South Arabian League Party, which was established on May 4, 2017, and their goal is to divide south Yemen. Currently, based on the Riyadh agreement in November 5, 2019, this movement holds the post of prime minister and half of the 24 ministries of the government. The geographical area under their control also includes: Aden province, most areas of Lahij and Abyan provinces and parts of Al-Dhale’, Hadhramaut and Taiz provinces.

It should be noted that the forces of Hizam al-Amni (Security Belt), Al-Haba Al-Hadhramiyah, Southern Resistance and other southern armed brigades are sub-groups of the Southern Transitional Council and are under the support of the United Arab Emirates.

4- Islah party: (purple color)
The Islah Party (Reform Party) is one of the largest and oldest parties in Yemen, and it acts as the representative of the Muslim Brotherhood in Yemen. This party was formed on September 13, 1990 by Sheikh Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar, one of the elders of the Hashid tribe, and has been operating since 2007 under the chairmanship of Mohammed Abdullah al-Yadumi. After the start of the Saudi coalition’s invasion of Yemen, the Islah Party announced its support for this operation on April 3, 2015, and entered into a battle with Ansar Allah.

Currently, the cities of Marib, Taiz, Seiyun and the desert areas of Al-Jawf province and parts of Shabwah and Hajjah provinces are under the control of this party’s militants.

5- Forces loyal to Tareq Saleh (Yemeni National Resistance): (yellow color)
“Yemeni National Resistance” is the name of a military group led by Tareq Saleh, the nephew of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of Yemen, which was formed in December 2017. This organization has more than 10,000 members and consists of several factions, including former members of Ali Abdullah Saleh’s presidential guard, the former army soldiers and security forces separated from the Sana’a government, Al-Amaliqah and Al-Tihamah Resistance forces.

Read more: Who are the (Amaliqah) Giant Brigades?

The areas under the control of Tareq Saleh forces are the southwestern region of Yemen, including the district of Hays in the south of Hudaydah province, the western areas of Taiz province, as well as the districts of Bayhan and Ain in Shabwah province. It is worth noting that this military group (Tareq Saleh forces) is under the support of the United Arab Emirates, the Amaliqah and Tihamah forces receive their orders from the command of the Saudi coalition, especially the UAE, instead of Tareq Saleh…

6- Al-Qaeda, Ansar al-Sharia and ISIS terrorist groups: (gray hachure)
The activities of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group in Yemen under the name of “Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula” (AQAP) began in 2009 and continued under the name of Ansar al-Sharia group since 2011. After the resignation of Ali Abdullah Saleh and the presidency of Mansour Hadi, this group acted in a more organized manner and took full possession of some points; But the advance of Ansar Allah and the intelligence of the field commanders of this movement in taking control of the cities of Sana’a, Saada, etc., prevented Al-Qaeda from advancing. Therefore, in order to survive their activities, Al-Qaeda forces were stationed in the remote areas of Yemen, including the deserts of eastern Yemen, the north of Al-Baydha province, and several other places.
Currently, this group does not have any city or region completely under their control, and their sphere of influence includes the desert areas of Hadhramaut, Shabwah and Abyan provinces. Also, after the Ansar Allah operation in the north of Al-Baydha province, Al-Qaeda members were transferred to the city of Marib and placed under the command of Islah Party.

Read more: Who was martyr Abu Haydar al-Hamzi?

The Islamic State Wilayat al-Yaman (Yemen province) group (IS-YP) also announced its formation in November 13, 2014, and apart from bombings, assassinations, etc., no special activity has been seen so far. ISIS members in Yemen are generally from extremist tribes in the east and south of Yemen and people separated from Ansar al-Sharia and al-Qaeda terrorists groups.

It should be noted that the formation of terrorist groups in Yemen is closely related to the actions of Mansour Hadi, the former president of the resigned government, Ali Mohsen Ahmar, the former vice president of the resigned government, and several other heads of parties and security institutions. In this regard, the criminal court of Yemen has convicted and prosecuted these people.