Gulf of Aden Security Review
A regularly updated review of both Yemen and the Horn of Africa covering topics related to security, governance, and militant activity.
Yemen: Emirati minister of state meets with President Hadi in Aden; Saudi-led coalition spokesperson claims foreign forces are training al Houthi forces; al Houthi forces fire missile at Jizan city, southern Saudi Arabia
Horn of Africa: ISIS claims attack targeting intelligence officer in Puntland; al Shabaab attacks police station in Garissa town, northeastern Kenya
Yemen Security Brief
Emirati Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Bint Ibrahim al Hashemi met with Yemeni President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghir to discuss bilateral relations in , southern Yemen on July 9. Hashimi also met with the Hadi government’s Minister of the Interior Ahmed al Maysiri who told her that local and federal governance as well as judicial and prison systems are under complete control of Yemen authorities according to the UAE’s state-run news agency. Maysiri demanded the UAE shut down or hand over secret prisons to Yemeni authorities according to a July 9 Associated Press report. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths met with Yemeni President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi in Aden to continue negotiations over al Hudaydah on July 10.[1]
Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al Maliki stated that coalition forces have evidence that foreign military experts are training al Houthi forces and providing them with military communication systems on July 9. He also claimed that Lebanese Hezbollah members are involved in operating sites of command and control in Sa’ada governorate, northern Yemen. The coalition claimed to destroy five of these sites.[2]
Al Houthi forces fired a Badr 1 missile at , southern Saudi Arabia on July 10. Saudi air defense forces intercepted the missile.[3]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) claimed its militants shot and wounded a senior intelligence officer in Bosaso town, , Puntland on July 9. ISIS made the claim through their Amaq media outlet. ISIS has conducted multiple assassinations in Bosaso in recent months.[4]
Al Shabaab militants attacked a Kenyan police station in Hamey area, , northeastern Kenya on July 10. The Kenyan police officers returned fire at the al Shabaab militants. No casualties were reported.[5]
[1] “Yemeni president, UAE Minister of State for International cooperation meet in Aden,” WAM, July 10, 2018, http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302698252; Ahmed al Haj and Maggie Michael, “Yemen demands Emirates shut down prisons where abuses rife,” Associated Press, July 9, 2018, https://www.apnews.com/aef556abb5d245daaab75ba6f85e9184/Yemen-demands-Emirates-shut-down-prisons-where-abuses-rife; and “UN envoy arrives in Aden to meet Yemen’s president over peace efforts,” Xinhua, July 10, 2018, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-07/10/c_137314842.htm.
[2] “Foreign Military experts training al houthis,” Gulf News, July 10, 2018, https://gulfnews.com/foreign-military-experts-training-al-houthis-1.2248989?localLinksEnabled=false&utm_source=Feeds&utm_medium=RSS&utm_term=News+RSS+feed&utm_content=1.2248989&utm_campaign=Foreign+military+experts+training+Al+Houthis.
[3] “Urgent: Saudi air defense drops Houthi rocket fired at Jizan,” Barakish, July 10, 2018, http://www.barakish.net/news02.aspx?cat=12&sub=23&id=549774; and “Houthis fire a missile at southern Saudi Arabia,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, July 10, 2018, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/115523.
[4] “Somalia: ISIL group claims in Bosaso attack,” Mareeg, July 10, 2018, https://mareeg.com/somalia-isil-group-claims-in-bosaso-attack/; and Mogadishu News, Twitter, July 10, 2018, https://twitter.com/Mogadishu_News/status/1016665192602787840.
[5] “Kenyan police soldiers ambushed by al Shabaab,” Mareeg, July 10, 2018, https://mareeg.com/kenyan-police-soldiers-ambushed-by-al-shabaab/; and Mogadishu News, Twitter, July 10, 2018, https://twitter.com/Mogadishu_News/status/1016660498241159168.
