logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
28m 44s

American assassins operating in Yemen

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The inside story of a wave of assassinations in Yemen, led by former US Special Forces. An investigation by BBC Arabic has found evidence that the United Arab Emirates hired American mercenaries to train Emirati officers to assassinate political enemies in Yemen. It's triggered a wave of killings that continues today and demonstrates the complex role foreign powers are having in Yemen's civil war. Former US servicemen who worked for the company, Spear Group Operations, have spoken to our reporter Nawal Al-Maghafi.

The Global Story delivers insights from BBC experts around the world, with Katya Adler. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note on WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Today’s episode of The Global Story was made by Neal Razzell and Tom Kavanaugh. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Up next
Jul 4
The President’s Path: Inside ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
We follow President Trump as he visits the new Florida detention centre dubbed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’, where around 3,000 migrants are expected to be held as part of his crackdown on illegal immigration. The Trump administration says alligators, crocodiles, and pythons in the surro ... Show More
24m 42s
Jun 27
The President’s Path: Governing by post?
Is Donald Trump’s phone his most powerful tool in office? From announcing ceasefires and trade deals to commenting on military actions like the recent strikes on Iran, Trump has used social media -especially his platform, Truth Social- as a direct line to the public. But what doe ... Show More
25m 8s
Jun 21
The President’s Path: Trump’s plan for Iran
Donald Trump will decide if the US gets directly involved in the Iran-Israel conflict within the next two weeks. Trump made waves – and charmed voters – by promising an ‘America First’ foreign policy. With the Middle East on the brink, what that means is up for debate. On this ep ... Show More
24m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
As US and UK airstrikes land, Yemenis wonder what's next
The US and the UK have launched airstrikes in Yemen, in the name of stopping Houthi actions in the Red Sea. But the Houthis have continued their attacks on ships off Yemen’s coast, in the name of ending Israel’s war on Gaza. So as strikes shake Sana’a and the potential for escala ... Show More
19m 42s
Jan 2024
Houthi Strikes: all you need to know with Yalda Hakim, Alex Crawford and Deborah Haynes
In this episode, Sky News' new international presenter Yalda Hakim gets time with defence and security editor Deborah Haynes and special correspondent Alex Crawford to talk about the airstrikes on Houthis in Yemen - why they happened, how they happened and what could happen next. ... Show More
21m 20s
Apr 2024
Another Take: The Forever Wars and Abu Ghraib
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 13, 2021. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.  Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison was once a front-page headline in the “war on terror.” Today, public knowl ... Show More
28m 35s
Aug 2022
Going Global
The biggest international news stories with the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen.Our International Editor discusses the life and death of last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, floods in Pakistan and deadly violence in Iraq. And, our sister pod, Americast, is back! The team are in the studio to ... Show More
34m 34s
Jan 2020
Who is Mohammad bin Salman?
How did Saudi Arabia get away with the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the kidnapping and alleged torture of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and even 9/11? How does it get away with war in Yemen and human rights violations at home? Oil, and the w ... Show More
34m 27s
Feb 2021
Iran - The Hidden Hand | Grey Zone Ep 6
On 3 January 2020, the United States killed Iran’s top spy master, Major General Qasem Soleimani, in a drone strike in Iraq. There was nothing grey or ambiguous about the assassination, but this episode explores the escalating grey zone hostilities between Iran and the United Sta ... Show More
40m 11s
Nov 2021
How the U.S. Hid a Deadly Airstrike
This episode contains strong language.In March 2019, workers inside an Air Force combat operations center in Qatar watched as an American F-15 attack jet dropped a large bomb into a group of women and children in Syria.Assessing the damage, the workers found that there had been a ... Show More
30m 24s
Oct 2023
Israel-Gaza: The Siege
Adam is joined by chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet and world affairs editor John Simpson to discuss the events in Israel, as Benjamin Netanyahu warns the country will use “enormous force” against Hamas. And as the world reacts to the events, Lyse and John focus on ho ... Show More
35m 17s
May 2024
The SAS murders and the conspiracy to cover them up - Part 1
The Sunday Times’ investigative team, Insight, has combed through 6,000 top secret documents to piece together the story of multiple military and government cover ups into the murder of civilians during the Afghan conflict. Today, in part one, we hear about the senior special for ... Show More
29m 38s
Jan 2021
Special episode: After inauguration, what’s next for the US?
Donald Trump is leaving office today as Joseph Biden assumes the presidency and command over a deeply divided nation. But the transfer of power is taking place under military presence as scores of National Guard troops patrol the U.S. Capitol and Washington, DC. In today's episod ... Show More
35m 47s