Ansar al Sharia, the insurgent wing of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, is still a threat in southern Yemen. Local tribal militias are a de facto mainstay in holding territory recently regained from the group. These militias achieved success against Ansar al Sharia in June 2012 by partnering with the Yemeni army and security forces. The reliance on tribal militias, called popular resistance committees, to hold territory creates a requirement to understand the tribes and the inter-tribal relationships in and around the militias’ areas of operation. The Critical Threats Project has mapped out the tribal regions in Abyan, al Bayda and Shabwah governorates by developing new methodologies that rely on open-source reporting. This slide presentation describes the methodology developed for and used in the Abyani tribes map, part of the publication “Abyani Tribes and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.” The slides detail the methods and sources used, and give three examples of how a tribal area is plotted. Please see: http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/gordon-map-abyani-tribes-methodology-october-30-2012

1. Map of Abyani Tribes
Methodology
Sasha Gordon
Yemen Analyst
Critical Threats Project
October 30, 2012
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org

2. Purpose
• Describe methodology developed for and used in
the Abyani Tribes map, part of the publication
Abyani Tribes and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
• List sources for
mapping data
• Outline and give
examples of three
methods used for
tribal mapping
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 2

3. Yemen Tribal Mapping Methodology Overview
• Sources Used:
 Regional Newspapers
 Yemeni (e.g., al Masdar Online, Mareb Press, Aden Online)
 Saudi (e.g., Okaz, Akhbar al Yom)
 Yemeni online forums
 Tribal (e.g., alhtribe.net, yafeau.net)
 Local online forums (e.g., Abyan Board, Hadramawt Forum)
 YouTube
 Wikimapia
• Sources consulted provide data points on which the map of tribal areas of
operation is based. Repetition across sources helps confirm the reliability of
the data.
• The following slides examine the methods used to map the tribal polygons.
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 3

4. Baseline Method
• Determine populated locations with tribal affiliation from the
listed sources
• Extrapolate polygon from determined points and/or areas
 This method is used to create a base polygon in all cases.
 Additional information is then incorporated to modify the
polygon. Three examples are described in the following slides:
– Method 1: Baseline Method + Geographical and Textual Clues
– Method 2: Baseline Method + Descriptions on Yemeni Online Forums
– Method 3: Baseline Method + Wikimapia
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 4

5. Method 1:
Baseline Method + Geographical and Textual Clues
• Employ Baseline Method to extrapolate polygon from
determined points and/or areas
• Use information and geography as cues to modify polygon
• Example:
Al Jadana Tribe
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 5

6. Mapping the al Jadana Tribe with Method 1
1) Reliable Yemeni news sources indicate that the al Jadana tribe operates in
Abyan governorate.1
2) Yemeni newspaper Mareb Press and Saudi newspaper Akhbar al Yom place the
tribe in the area around al Lahmar town in Mudia district.2
2
1
Al Lahmar
Abyan
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 6

7. Mapping the al Jadana Tribe with Method 1
3) Yemen newspaper al Oulaye describes al Rawdah village as the central location of the
Jadana tribe.3
4) The polygon is roughly extrapolated from these two points, al Lahmar and al Rawdah
(Baseline Method).
3, 4 5
Mudia City
Al Lahmar
Al Rawdah Paved secondary road Unpaved secondary road
5) The polygon is extended along the road to the west approximately 10 km. Mareb Press
indicates that this tribe controls a portion of the road in Mudia district leading to Mudia city.
Secondary roads are also used as guides.4
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 7

8. Method 2:
Baseline Method + Descriptions on Yemeni Online Forums
• Create polygon using Baseline Method
• Build upon the base using forums in which Yemenis describe
tribal areas
• Example:
Al Fadhel Tribe (“Fadhli”)
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 8

9. Mapping the al Fadhel Tribe with Method 2
1) These points are identified as Fadhli territory:5
– Zinjibar district
– Zinjibar city
– Dirjaj
– Al Kud
– Shaqra
– Yuramis
– Ja’awalah
– Amudiya
– Tiran
– Khanfer
– Al Khabr
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 9

10. Mapping the al Fadhel Tribe with Method 2
2) Posts on “Abyan Board,” an online forum, indicates that Fadhli territory has the
following boundaries:6
– Al ‘Imad in Aden to the west
– Awlaki tribal territory to the east
– Making a distance of “about 100 miles”
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 10

11. Mapping the al Fadhel Tribe with Method 2
3) Polygon is drawn using these points and measurements.*
The Awlaki territory’s western border is also roughly determined from the data.
Awlaki
territory
* Polygon later modified to show Marqishi subdivision in Khanfer.
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 11

12. Method 3:
Baseline Method + Wikimapia
• Create base polygon using Baseline Method
• Consult Wikimapia (crowd-sourced data) to enhance base
polygon
• Example:
Audhali Tribe
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 12

13. Mapping the Audhali Tribe with Method 3
1) Three areas of operation are
determined from one or more
of the following sources, using
Al Bayda
the Baseline Method:
– Hadramawt Forum7
– Al Masdar Online, al Bida
Press, and Mareb Press
(Yemeni newspapers)8
– Okaz (Saudi newspaper)9 Abyan
Contact Sasha Gordon at
13
Sasha.Gordon@aei.org

14. Mapping the Audhali Tribe with Method 3
2) Wikimapia’s mapped polygon indicating Audhali tribal area is consulted.
“Thaher” Audhalis
“Koor” Audhalis
Polygon Label:
“The Audhali Tribe”
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 14

15. Mapping the Audhali Tribe with Method 3
3) The polygon is roughly mapped using the determined areas of operation and the
polygon on Wikimapia.
4) Adjustments are made to
polygon based on judgment
and reliability of data.
For example, this area,
which was indicated as
belonging to the Audhali on
Wikimapia, is not included.
Reliable sources indicate
that this location is territory
of the al Diyani tribe.10
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 15

16. Contact Sasha Gordon at
Sasha.Gordon@aei.org

17. Notes
1 “Tribal mediation manages to free prisoners of the Ja’adna,” al Masdar Online, April 18, 2011 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.almasdaronline.com/index.php/print.php?news_id=18696
“Abyan: al Ja’adna tribe hands over one of its sons to the Ansar al Sharia courts for a murder trial,” Mareb Press, April 4, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://marebpress.net/news_details.php?lng=arabic&sid=42263
2 “Russian doctor freed after his capture by the Jadana of Mudia,” Akhbar al Yom, October 20, 2008 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.akhbaralyom.net/news_details.php?lng=arabic&sid=5252
“Violent explosion shakes legal advisor of Abyan governorate; crisis in Lahmar while mediators try to correct the situation,” Mareb Press, June 5,
2007 [Arabic]. Available: http://marebpress.net/nprint.php?sid=6225
3 “Killer of Ja’adna tribe transported to militants of Ansar al Sharia for trial in Jaar,” al Oulaye, April 6, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://aloulaye.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1227:%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%84-
%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%A9-
%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%8A-%D8%A3%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%83%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%87-
%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1&Itemid=104
4 “Violent explosion shakes legal advisor of Abyan governorate; crisis in Lahmar and mediators try to correct the situation,” Mareb Press, June 5,
2007 [Arabic]. Available: http://marebpress.net/nprint.php?sid=6225
5 “The Fadhli Tribe,” Abyan Board, May 6, 2007 [Arabic]. Available: http://www.abyanboard.net/ab/showthread.php/2536-
%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%B6%D9%84%D9%8A
“Division of the Fadhli tribes of Abyan governorate,” Abyan Board, April 7, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.abyanboard.net/ab/showthread.php/9662-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%85-
%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%B6%D9%84%D9%8A-
%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86
“Fadhli calls on the army and Ansar al Sharia in Zinjibar to implement week-long ceasefire and threatens to take tribal stance against infringers,”
al Masdar Online, July 11, 2011 [Arabic]. Available: http://www.almasdaronline.com/index.php?page=news&article-section=1&news_id=21233
“The tribes…the core and prop of the state,” Okaz, May 21, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.okaz.com.sa/New/Issues/20120521/Con20120521504668.htm
“Tribes of Abyan,” Hadramawt Forum, November 4, 2009 [Arabic]. Available: http://www.hdrmut.net/vb/t301337.html
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 17

18. Notes
6 “The Fadhli Tribe,” Abyan Board, May 6, 2007 [Arabic]. Available: http://www.abyanboard.net/ab/showthread.php/2536-
%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%B6%D9%84%D9%8A
7 “Tribes of Abyan,” Hadramawt Forum, November 4, 2009 [Arabic]. Available: http://www.hdrmut.net/vb/t301337.html
8 “Military sources to ‘al Masdar Online’: Military units loyal to revolution head toward Zinjibar to impose security and expel the armed groups
[comments section],” al Masdar Online, May 31, 2011 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.almasdaronline.net/index.php/uploads/advs/uploads/issues/pdf/index.php?page=news&news_id=20207
“111th Brigade and sons of Lawder and al Audhali tribes foil al Qaeda’s attempt to control Lawder city: 30 terrorists killed,” al Bida Press, April 9,
2012 [Arabic]. Available: http://www.albidapress.net/news.php?action=view&id=19765
“Ansar al Sharia shells Lawder with artillery and tanks,” Mareb Press, April 11, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://marebpress.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=42536
9 “The tribes…the core and prop of the state,” Okaz, May 21, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.okaz.com.sa/New/Issues/20120521/Con20120521504668.htm
10 “Breaking News: One of Ansar al Sharia’s leaders captured in Lawder and sources say that 28 members of Ansar al Sharia were killed,’” Yafa
News, April 13, 2012 [Arabic]. Available: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:eWV7ikKXBc0J:www.yafa-
news.net/%3Fp%3D6783+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
“Celebration in Abyan - Marriage of Amtali family of Al Diyan tribe in Um Ayn,” You Tube, May 25, 2012 [Arabic]. Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_eVZRAld4M
“Al Diyan,” Wikimapia [Arabic]. Available:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=13.7948129&lon=45.9047316&z=11&l=0&m=b&show=/23103106/%D8%A7%D9%84-
%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86 (accessed September 4, 2012)
Contact Sasha Gordon at Sasha.Gordon@aei.org 18

19. For more on Yemen’s tribes, visit
www.criticalthreats.org/yemen
Contact Sasha Gordon at
19
Sasha.Gordon@aei.org