Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: AQAP releases video on obligation of jihad; provincial area cordoned off in continued hunt for al Qaeda suspect; Saleh meets with southern officials; Australian woman suspected of al Qaeda links deported from Yemen

Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna battles al Shabaab near Dhusamareb, four militants killed; Somali PM accepts resignation of ministers, will fill posts soon; Universal TV administrator downplays controversy over Mohammed cartoon, apologizes

Yemen Security Brief

• Former Guantanamo detainee Ibrahim al Rubaish lectured on the obligation of jihad in a video released by AQAP’s media arm, al Malahem Foundation, to jihadist forums.[1]

• Yemeni security forces were continuing the search Friday for Hassan al Aqili and other suspected terrorists involved in an ambush last week which killed a top army commander and one soldier.  An area of Ma’rib province has been cordoned off in an attempt to capture the suspects.[2]

• President Ali Abdullah Saleh met with members of Parliament, the Shura Council, and officials of Lahij and Dhaleh provinces.  The president urged an end to the violence and asked officials to help preserve national unity.[3]

• An Australian woman earlier suspected of having al Qaeda ties was released from Yemeni custody and deported on Friday after high-level Australian intervention, according to reports.  The woman, Shyloh Giddens, returned to Australia with her two children.[4]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a fighters killed four al Shabaab militants Thursday in a clash near Dhusamareb in the central Galgudud region.[5]

• Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke accepted the resignations tendered by four cabinet ministers and said he will fill their posts soon.[6]

• The administrator of UK-based Somali station Universal TV attempted to downplay its coverage of a cartoon depicting the Prophet Mohammed and the ensuing backlash from Islamist groups in Somalia. He also said the station has apologized for the incident; al Shabaab has not revoked its ban of the station.[7]