The Asifah Brigade

Little-Known Military Brigades and Armed Groups in Yemen: A Series

This series maps the activity of little-known military brigades and armed groups proliferating throughout the conflict in Yemen...

This piece provides a deep dive into an actor that is not yet covered in much detail by traditional media; as such, it draws on OSINT, including new media sources, more than traditional ACLED analysis...

The Asifah Brigade, also known by its English translation as the “Storm Brigade,” is a brigade that is advancing the goals of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Aden...

¹

Although unverified, these claims hint at a possible alliance that — while being widely discussed — has yet to officially materialize between the STC and a faction of the General People’s Congress (GPC) that is loyal to the Saleh family...

While the brigade was first mentioned on social media in March 2018, with some referring to them as “Storm Belt forces”...

Starting in March 2020, reports then emerged about the Asifah Brigade launching security operations across Aden...

By late April 2020, the Asifah Brigade had reportedly taken control of a number of government facilities, banks...

The Asifah Brigade’s focus on Aden and its connection to the city is clear...

These risks have especially increased in light of a potential breakthrough in the Riyadh Agreement in late July 2020...