Al-Qaida in Arabian Peninsula (AQAP): Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki takes helm following leader’s death

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Yemen-based faction of the global terrorist network, announced last month the death of its leader, Khaled Batarfi, and the appointment of Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki as the new head. The declaration was made through a video, though details regarding Batarfi’s demise were not provided.

Batarfi, also known as Abu A…