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: Hadi government and STC officials begin implementing Riyadh Agreement’s revised political stipulations
Horn of Africa: AFRICOM confirms airstrike targeting al Shabaab caused civilian casualties; Somali president meets with national security chiefs following prime minister’s ousting
Yemen Security Brief:
The internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Transitional Political Council of the South (STC) began implementing a revised version of the November 2019 Riyadh Agreement’s political stipulations on July 29. Both sides have taken steps to implement the agreement, including the STC renouncing self-rule in southern Yemen and President Hadi appointing STC officials to administrative positions in Aden governorate. Hadi’s government and the STC agreed to implement the agreement’s revisions during negotiations in Saudi Arabia on July 26.[1]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed on July 28 that one if its airstrikes targeting an al Shabaab militant inadvertently killed one civilian and injured three others near Jilib city in southwestern Somalia’s Middle Jubba region on February 2. This confirmation was part of AFRICOM’s second quarterly civilian casualty report. AFRICOM previously confirmed that an airstrike in southern Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region in February 2019 killed two civilians and injured three others in its first quarterly report released in April.[2]
Somali President Mohamed Farmajo held a national security meeting with top security officials in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on July 28. Somalia’s Army Chief of Staff, Police Commissioner, and National Intelligence and Security Agency Director General attended the meeting. The meeting focused on ensuring security and stability following the removal of Somalia’s Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, according to local reporting. Somalia’s Parliament voted to remove Khaire from office on July 25.[3]
[1] “Official Source: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Proposes to Yemeni Government, Southern Transitional Council Mechanism to Accelerate Implementation of Riyadh Agreement,” Saudi Press Agency, July 29, 2020, https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2115315; “Yemen’s separatists to give up self-rule, push peace deal,” Associated Press, July 29, 2020, https://apnews.com/c0d8d226b7c8c655f34afe830d90c8c4; and Matthew Eady and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 27, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, July 27, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-july-27-2020.
[2] “U.S. Africa Command Civilian Casualty Assessment Third Quarter Report,” US Africa Command, July 28, 2020, https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/33045/us-africa-command-civilian-casualty-assessmen; and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - April 27, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 27, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-27-2020.
[3] “Farmajo summons security chiefs at Villa Somalia days after PM Khaire’s dethronement,” Garowe, July 29, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/farmajo-summons-security-chiefs-at-villa-somalia-days-after-pm-khaires-dethronement; and Samuel Bloebaum and Matthew Eady, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 27, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, July 27, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-july-27-2020.
