Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: AQAP condemns new Yemeni government; Yemeni Army says Houthis are exploiting truce and calls for war preparations; Houthi spokesperson condemns US-led combined task force in Red Sea

Somalia: Al Shabaab IED kills Jubbaland State security official in southern Somalia; al Shabaab IED targets federal election officials in central Somalia; al Shabaab mortars the parliament building in Mogadishu

Yemen Security Brief:

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a statement condemning the Presidential Leadership Council as illegitimate on April 17.[i] AQAP also said it rejects negotiations with the Houthi movement.

The Yemeni Army claimed the Houthis are exploiting government forces’ commitment to the truce agreement to reinforce their positions in Ma’rib governorate on April 16.[iii] The army said the Houthis “have proven during the past two weeks that they do not want peace” and called on the Yemeni government to prepare for war. The army also accused UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg of ignoring Houthi truce violations.

Houthi movement spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam condemned the US-led naval combined counter-smuggling task force in the Red Sea on April 15.[iv] He said the task force undermines the US government’s claim that it supports the truce in Yemen. The task force will be US-led initially, though the US will “quickly” hand leadership to a regional partner.[v]

Somalia Security Brief:

Al Shabaab assassinated the Jubbaland State security forces Buale Gadud sectional commander with an improvised explosive device (IED) in Buale Gadud, Kismayo district, Lower Jubba region, southern Somalia, on April 18.[vi] Al Shabaab claimed the IED also killed six other people in the commander’s convoy.

Al Shabaab detonated an IED targeting Somali Federal Electoral Commission members near Jowhar, Middle Shabelle region, central Somalia, on April 17.[vii] The IED killed two bodyguards.[viii]

Al Shabaab mortared the Somali parliament building in Villa Somalia, Mogadishu, during parliament’s first session on April 18.[ix]  The mortars failed to hit any MPs but injured seven bodyguards.[x] Al Shabaab also attempted to mortar the swearing-in of new Somali MPs at the Mogadishu airport on April 14.[xi]