| Abraham Golan | |
| Birth Place: | Hungary |
| Allegiance: | French Foreign Legion, Israeli Special Forces |
| Laterwork: | Founder of Spear Operations Group |
Abraham Golan is a Hungarian-Israeli security contractor known as the founder of Spear Operations Group, a private military company (PMC) that conducted high-profile operations in Yemen.[1] His work in Yemen—especially assassination missions targeting political figures—was contracted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and has led to international scrutiny regarding the ethics and legality of private military operations in active conflict zones.[2]
Golan holds dual citizenship in Hungary and Israel, with a background that includes service in the French Foreign Legion, Israeli Defense Forces and experience in the private security sector across Africa. His expertise eventually led him to the United States, where he continued his career in defense contracting and founded Spear Operations Group in 2015.[1]
Spear Operations Group, established in Delaware, USA, initially hired American military veterans and former French Foreign Legion soldiers to fulfill contracts with the UAE in Yemen.[3] Under Golan's leadership, the group pursued the UAE's objectives within the Yemeni Civil War, targeting high-ranking members of Al-Islah, Yemen's Islamist political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE viewed Al-Islah as a threat to its influence and national security interests in Yemen and contracted Spear for covert, targeted operations.
One of the first and most publicized missions undertaken by Golan's team was the attempted assassination of Anssaf Ali Mayo, a leader of Al-Islah, in 2015.[4] Although the mission was unsuccessful, it drove the leader out of the country, and marked the beginning of a series of targeted killings that continued over several months, with Spear Operations Group remaining active in Yemen. The UAE supplied Golan's team with equipment, weapons, and Emirati military credentials, embedding them within local Emirati-backed forces.[5] This alignment, blending private contractors with national military assets, blurred lines between sovereign military operations and privatized military interventions.
Golan's work in Yemen ignited significant controversy in the United States, as reports emerged suggesting American citizens were involved in potentially illegal assassination missions.[6] U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bob Menendez called on federal authorities to investigate whether Golan's operations breached the War Crimes Act, which prohibits civilians from conducting military operations on foreign soil.[7] Critics argue that such PMCs lack the accountability of state forces, raising concerns over private military contractors' role in conflicts, potential war crimes, and ethical accountability.
Despite these concerns, Golan has publicly defended his company's actions, claiming they align with counter-terrorism efforts critical to regional stability. He argues that privatized solutions like those provided by Spear Operations Group address security threats effectively, even as international debate around the role and regulation of PMCs persists.