Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: ROYG studies UN proposal to extend Yemen’s truce; STC presidency declares efforts to extend truce “useless;” Houthi official reiterates the Houthis would refuse to extend Yemen’s truce without lifting the siege; PLC appoints new governors for Hadramawt and Socotra

Somalia: South West state forces begin security operation in Bay region, southern Somalia; al Shabaab claimed it killed three spies working for Kenya and the United States; Ethiopia claims it killed key al Shabaab propagandist

Yemen Security Brief:

The Yemeni government may have conditionally approved a UN-backed proposal to extend Yemen’s truce agreement on July 30.[i] The government did not reveal the proposal’s terms.

The Southern Transitional Council presidency said the same day that any efforts to extend the truce would be “worthless” in light of the Houthis’ continued hostilities.[ii]

A Houthi official reiterated that the group would refuse efforts to extend Yemen’s truce without first “completely lifting the blockade” on Yemen on July 29.[iii]

The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) appointed new governors for Hadramawt and Socotra governorates on July 31. The PLC appointed Mabkhout bin Madhi as governor of Hadramawt and Raafat al Tahqali as governor of Socotra.[iv]

Somalia Security Brief:

South West regional security forces began a “sweeping” security operation in Baidoa, Bay region, southern Somalia on July 30. The operation is a response to reports that al Shabaab fighters are in Baidoa city.[v]

Al Shabaab claimed that it killed “spies” in Mogadishu, Somalia and Gedo region, southwestern Somalia. Al Shabaab said it killed a “spy working for US intelligence” in Mogadishu on August 1.[vi] Al Shabaab also claimed that it killed two “spies” working for Kenyan intelligence in Gedo region, southwestern Somalia on July 31.[vii]

The Ethiopian government claimed that Ethiopia killed al Shabaab propagandist Fuad Shongole in an airstrike near Aato, Bakool region, Somalia, on July 29.[viii] Anonymous al Shabaab sources refuted this claim, saying that Shongole performed Friday prayers in Bula Fulay, Bay region, on July 29.[ix]