Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) announced on its website jihad (holy war) against the Houthi northern Shiites.
In an audio message posted on the Internet, Saeed Ali Al-Shihri, deputy leader of the Yemen-based (AQAP), said that Houthis in Sa'ada, Jawf, and Amran will face a strong war against them, calling on Sunni Muslims in northern Yemeni provinces to be with (AQAP). He accused Iran's regime of backing Shiite rebels.
"Jihad against northern Shiites has been declared since the implementation of the AQAP's twin martyred car bombing attacks against convoys of Shiite rebels' in the northern provinces of Jawf and Sa'ada on Nov. 24 and Nov. 26 of the last year," he said.
Last year two bombings occurred in northern Yemen with one targeting a procession on its way to celebrate a religious Zaidi ceremony, Eid Al-Ghadir, in Jawf killing almost 24 and wounded several others. The other targeted Houthi followers traveling in Sa'ada to participate in a funeral, killing two mourners and wounding eight.