SUMMARY

Islah (Yemeni Congregation for Reform), a Muslim Brotherhood-aligned movement, have long been at odds with the various UAE-backed factions that have also participated as part of the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council (formerly Forces of Hadi), the internationally recognized government of Yemen. The UAE views the Muslim Brotherhood as a regional threat and a terrorist movement, and has thus long sought to weaken its influence in Yemen, even as they have ostensibly been allied in their opposition to the Ansarallah-government. Before the April 2022 ouster of President Hadi, alongside his Islah-aligned vice President, Ali Mohsin, Islah was a core faction of the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council), receiving solid backing from the political leadership in previous rounds of infighting with UAE-backed STC (thus appearing in the data as Forces of Hadi - STC). The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) that replaced Hadi includes members of both factions.

The August 2022 clashes that made the conflict active for the first time broke out after STC-aligned Shabwa Defense forces attempted to assassinate an Islah commander in Shabwa governorate, and the Giants Brigade came to STC's aid as Islah forces sought revenge. Together STC and Giants Brigade, backed by UAE drone strikes, drove Islah forces out of most of Shabwah, significantly weakening their influence in southern Yemen.

Days earlier, STC and Giants Brigade forces had successfully pulled of a bloodless coup against the Islah-aligned governor of Hadramawt and PLC-member, Faraj al-Bahsani, removing him from his post as governor as well as forcing him to relinquish his military command of the 2nd Military Region. Following these successes, STC redployed forces into parts of Abyan governorate, forcing the Islah forces there to withdraw, effectively establishing STC's military control of much of Abyan.