Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: Southern Movement separatist killed in Aden clashes with security forces; suspected AQAP militants arrested in Aden security sweep; White House issues statement on humanitarian assistance and situation in Yemen; alleged al Qaeda CD distributed at Sana’a mosques

Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a spokesman says group, TFG ready to retake southern Somali regions from militants; Hizb al Islam commander claims victory in Thursday’s Mogadishu fighting; al Shabaab spokesman calls for Hizb al Islam leaders to join al Shabaab; Somaliland president and opposition leader trade accusations over defected ministers; Kenya launches new anti-piracy court

Yemen Security Brief

• At least one Southern Movement separatist was killed by security forces in Aden after a firefight erupted during anti-government protests.  Separatists were demonstrating the arrest of locals in a recent security crackdown.[1]

• Several suspected AQAP militants were arrested by security forces Friday in Aden during house-to-house searches for militants involved in last Saturday’s attack on intelligence headquarters.[2]

• The White House issued a statement on U.S. humanitarian assistance and the situation in Yemen.  Aid to Yemen will more than double to $42.5 million.  Furthermore, the statement noted that the U.S. is “deeply troubled” by violence in northern Yemen and called Thursday for peace talks between opposition groups and the government.[3]

• An unidentified group has reportedly started distributing al Qaeda propaganda CDs to Sana’a-based mosques.  The discs reportedly feature top AQAP leaders and show U.S. raids on terrorist targets in the country.[4]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a spokesman Sharif Abdiwahid Sharif Aden said that his group and the TFG are ready to launch an offensive to retake Somalia’s southern Bakool, Bay, and Gedo regions from al Shabaab.[5]

• Hizb al Islam commander Osma’il Mohamed Kheyre claimed victory in Thursday’s clashes between his militant group and pro-government forces in northern Mogadishu.[6]

• Al Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamed Rage, also known as Ali Dheere, called on all Hizb al Islam leaders to join al Shabaab or face war. He added that Hizb al Islam leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys is untrustworthy.[7]

• Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin said the resignations of two ministers and their defections to the opposition party, Kulmiye, would not affect the functionality of his government. He said the defections were the result of clan interests, a claim Kulmiye party chairman and presidential candidate Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo called “unfortunate” and “inaccurate.”[8]

• Kenya launched a new court to try suspected pirates captured by foreign navies in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.[9]