ADEN, Yemen, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Yemen-based branch of the global terrorist network, confirmed the death of its leader, Khaled Batarfi, and named Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki as his successor.

The announcement came through a video statement released on Monday, though the circumstances of Batarfi's death were not disclosed.

Batarfi, a Saudi national, had been in charge of AQAP since 2020, succeeding Qassim Al Rimi who was killed in a U.S. drone strike. Under his leadership, AQAP maintained its insurgency against Yemeni government forces amidst the country's ongoing conflict.

Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki, the new leader, was last seen in a February 2023 video calling for Sunni tribes in southern Yemen to resist the influence of the United Arab Emirates and the Southern Transitional Council.

AQAP, established from the unification of al-Qaida factions in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, remains one of the most formidable and active branches of the terror network. The United Nations estimates its strength at 3,000 to 4,000 members, sustaining itself through criminal activities like bank heists, arms trafficking, counterfeiting, and kidnappings for ransom.

The group has exploited the turmoil in Yemen to expand its control and launch assaults on security and governmental bodies.

Yemen's civil war, which erupted in late 2014, pits the Houthi movement against the internationally-backed Yemeni government, with a Saudi-led coalition intervening in 2015. Enditem

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