Sanaa , Yemen ( CNN ) The U.S. military is in the process of evacuating about 100 Special Operations forces members from the Al Anad airbase in Yemen due to that country 's deteriorating security situation , sources in the region familiar with the situation told CNN . Those being evacuated are the last American troops stationed in the Arab nation , which is home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula , the terrorist group also known as AQAP . The United States closed its embassy in Sanaa last month , after Houthi rebels took over the Yemeni capital . And hundreds of al Qaeda members escaped two Yemeni prisons Thursday and Friday , raising further security questions . For years , the U.S. military has worked closely with Yemen 's government to go after AQAP , together carrying out numerous attacks like the 2011 drone strike that killed prominent al Qaeda figure Anwar al-Awlaki . And U.S. President Barack Obama has hailed this cooperation as a pillar in his anti-terrorism campaign . `` Yemen has never been a perfect democracy or a island of stability , '' Obama said in January , promoting the policy of `` partnering and intelligence-sharing with that local government '' as the best approach in a bad situation . `` The alternative would be for us to play whack-a-mole every time there is a terrorist actor inside of any given country , '' the President said . But while there have been drone strikes as recently as last month , these cooperative efforts have been hampered by Yemen 's growing difficulty in maintaining unity and peace . These include the rise of the Houthis , their battles with forces loyal to ousted President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and the presence of not only al Qaeda fighters but other militants . On Friday , for instance , ISIS purportedly claimed responsibility for bombings at two mosques in Sanaa what , if true , would mark that group 's first large-scale attack in Yemen . The claim came in a statement posted on a site that previously carried ISIS proclamations , but could n't be immediately authenticated by CNN . Those blasts killed at least 137 people and wounded 357 others , according to Yemen 's state-run Saba news agency . While ISIS and al Qaeda are both Sunni groups that espouse extreme versions of Islam and violent opposition to the West , that does n't mean they will be working together anytime soon . In fact , AQAP strongly rebuked ISIS in a video released in November , characterizing its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 's declaration of an Islamic caliphate as illegitimate . More than anything , the idea of the group calling itself the Islamic State violently flexing its muscles speaks to the chaotic situation there . With no one really in control , that means numerous groups -- including those with a history of killing civilians and lashing out at the West -- have been more room to operate and a better chance potentially to take over . Meanwhile , the main players for control of Yemen 's government -- those siding with Hadi , who still claims to be president after being deposed earlier this year , and the Houthis , a minority group that 's strongest in the northern part of the country -- remain very much at odds . Just two days ago , a Yemeni jet commanded by the capital 's Houthi conquerors fired missiles at a palace housing Hadi in the port city of Aden . No one was injured , but the direct strike nonetheless marked an escalation in the deadly fighting between the two sides . The airstrikes came on the same day opposing Yemeni military forces -- some under the Houthis , others led by officers loyal to Hadi -- battled in Aden , said Aden Gov . AbdulAziz Hobtour . At least 13 people died and 21 others were injured in those clashes , according to Hobtour . Hadi took to the airwaves of Adan TV , a station he recently started , on Saturday in his first televised speech since escaping house arrest . He called on all political factions to take part in upcoming talks in the Saudi capital of Riyadh , condemning the Aden strike and urging Yemeni troops to refuse orders from Houthi officials . Hadi tied the Houthis to Iran , which he was said supported the `` coup '' that led to his departure from Aden . `` The Iranian agenda of the Houthis will not last , '' he said . Needless to say , the Houthis are n't convinced . Mohammed Al Bukhaiti , a top member of the Houthi Political Council , said Hadi 's speech wo n't help Yemen reach a peaceful resolution and accused him of reneging on a deal last September to transfer power . `` We blame Hadi for not implementing this deal that drew the road map that would have solved Yemen 's ongoing crises , '' Al Bukhaiti said . `` Hadi will be held responsible for the country 's failures and that chaos that could follow . '' Journalist Hakim Almasmari reported from Sanaa , and CNN 's Greg Botelho reported and wrote from Atlanta .
Yemen 's deposed president lashes out at Houthi rebels in a speech . Sources : Reuters, AP and AFP