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On 26 January, AQAP recaptured al-Houta, storming several government buildings and blowing up the local police headquarters.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-26 |title=Yemen: Al-Qaeda captures capital of Lahj for second time |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/yemen-al-qaeda-captures-capital-lahj-second-time |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420172532/https://www.newarab.com/news/yemen-al-qaeda-captures-capital-lahj-second-time |archive-date=2024-04-20 |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=The New Arab}}</ref> From there, AQAP would launch [[Southern Abyan Offensive (2016)|an offensive]] to connect their territory in Abyan from the west to Shabwah from the east. On 1 February, AQAP seized the town of Azzan in southeastern Shabwah with seemingly no resistance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Asher-Schapiro |first=Avi |date=2016-02-01 |title=Al Qaeda Is Making Serious Gains Amid Chaos of Yemen's Civil War |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/al-qaeda-is-making-serious-gains-amid-chaos-of-yemens-civil-war/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240922030028/https://www.vice.com/en/article/al-qaeda-is-making-serious-gains-amid-chaos-of-yemens-civil-war/ |archive-date=2024-09-22 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref> On 4 February, AQAP seized al-Mahfad in Abyan, while a U.S. drone strike killed field commander Jalal Baleedi along with 2 of his bodyguards in Azzan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roggio |first=Bill |date=2016-02-11 |title=Al Qaeda seizes more territory in southern Yemen |url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/02/al-qaeda-seizes-more-territory-in-southern-yemen.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629191027/https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/02/al-qaeda-seizes-more-territory-in-southern-yemen.php |archive-date=2024-06-29 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=FDD's Long War Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=US drone strike kills senior al-Qaeda leader in Yemen |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/2/4/us-drone-strike-kills-senior-al-qaeda-leader-in-yemen |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> On 8 February AQAP captured the town of Shuqrah in Abyan and attempted to capture [[Ahwar]], though they were pushed out.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-06 |title=Al Qaeda tightens its grip on south Yemen coast |url=https://jordantimes.com/news/region/al-qaeda-tightens-its-grip-south-yemen-coast |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424051752/https://jordantimes.com/news/region/al-qaeda-tightens-its-grip-south-yemen-coast |archive-date=2024-04-24 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Jordan Times |language=en}}</ref> The major component of AQAP's offensive began on 20 February when hundreds of fighters attacked Ahwar, Abyan, clashing with Popular Committee forces. By the end of the day, AQAP was in control of Ahwar, killing 3 committee soldiers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-20 |title=Al Qaeda militants seize southern Yemen town, kill militia leader: residents |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN0VT0AK/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220120036/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN0VT0AK/ |archive-date=2016-02-20 |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Reuters}}</ref> With the fall of Ahwar, AQAP had control of nearly all of the coast in southern Abyan, connecting their emirate from Mukalla in Hadhramaut to Zinjibar in Abyan.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-21 |title=Qaeda kills three in sweep of Yemen's south |url=https://www.nation.com.pk/21-Feb-2016/qaeda-kills-three-in-sweep-of-yemen-s-south |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206130820/https://www.nation.com.pk/21-Feb-2016/qaeda-kills-three-in-sweep-of-yemen-s-south |archive-date=2019-02-06 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=The Nation |language=en-US}}</ref> Clashes with government loyalists [[Abyan conflict|persisted]] throughout AQAP's occupation.
{{Main|Aden unrest (2015–2019)#Battle of Al-Mansoura}}
Conflict between pro-government elements and AQAP in Aden increased compared to the previous year. On 1 January, Popular Committee fighters attacked an AQAP convoy heading to Aden killing 3 members including senior Sharia cleric Ali Abed al-Rab bin Talab.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-01 |title=Senior Al-Qaida Leader Killed in Yemen Clashes |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/senior-al-qaida-leader-killed-in-yemen-clashes/3127921.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927143247/https://www.voanews.com/a/senior-al-qaida-leader-killed-in-yemen-clashes/3127921.html |archive-date=2021-09-27 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}</ref> On 6 February, government forces battled AQAP forces entrenched within [[Al-Mansoura (Aden)|al-Mansoura district]] while coalition airstrikes attacked their positions. The battle killed several people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-09 |title=Al-Qaida, Yemeni Forces Clash in Aden |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/al-qaida-yemeni-forces-clash-in-aden/3182925.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615211508/https://www.voanews.com/a/al-qaida-yemeni-forces-clash-in-aden/3182925.html |archive-date=2022-06-15 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}</ref> On 11 February, 3 Yemeni soldiers were killed in a suspected AQAP attack in al-Mansoura. The next day, AQAP gunmen assaulted a police outpost in the Basateen area in northern Aden governorate, killing 5 police officers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-12 |title=Suspected Qaeda attackers kill five police in Yemen's Aden |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2016/02/12/-Qaeda-attack-kills-5-police-in-Yemen-s-Aden- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226080536/https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2016/02/12/-Qaeda-attack-kills-5-police-in-Yemen-s-Aden- |archive-date=2024-
On 22 March, a U.S. airstrike on an AQAP training camp in [[Hajr District|Hajr district]], Hadhramaut killed 40 fighters and injured an additional 25.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-03-23 |title=Yemen conflict: US air strike 'kills al-Qaeda militants' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35878463 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906234033/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35878463 |archive-date=2024-09-06 |access-date=2024-09-22 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Another U.S. drone strike occured on 26 March in Abyan, killing 8 AQAP members.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2016-03-27 |title=Suspected US drone strikes in Yemen kill eight militants, local residents say |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/27/drone-strikes-yemen-kill-eight-militants |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517191340/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/27/drone-strikes-yemen-kill-eight-militants |archive-date=2024-05-17 |access-date=2024-09-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
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