Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: National Congress for the People of the South releases demands for its continued participation in the National Dialogue conference; Southern Movement leader announces coordination meetings in Cairo and Beirut; National Dialogue subcommittee recommends dismissal of Aden governor and military commanders; popular committee members impose curfew in Lawder, Abyan governorate; 119th Brigade and popular committees raid AQAP houses near Jaar and Shaqra, Abyan governorate; Shabwah Axis commander mediating tribal dispute in Shabwah governorate; tribal gunmen kidnap man in Sana’a; report that impoverished Yemeni youth being trafficked by Qatari officials to fight in Syria

Horn of Africa: Somali and AMISOM troops find and clear five IEDs in Kismayo, Lower Jubba region; talks end between Somali prime minster and interim governor of Kismayo; Somali government expects first light arms shipment within two month; Mombasa Republican Council attacks a casino in Malindi, Kenya; Kenya-based Muslim Youth Center calls for al Shabaab to take action against Omar Hammami; Islamic World Issues Center offers open interviews with Omar Hammami; Kenya Supreme Court to rule on election petition

Yemen Security Brief

• The National Congress for the People of the South released six demands for its continued participation in the National Dialogue Conference on March 29. These included the transfer of the team working on Southern issues to a foreign, neutral country, a cessation of violence related to security operations in the south, and the reinstatement of Southern officials previously thrown out of the military or government.[1]

• The Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for the Southern Movement, Salah al Shanfara, announced that Southern Movement leadership was attempting to reconcile their disparate positions over the course of two meetings in Cairo and Beirut in the coming days, in a speech on March 27 in Arhab, al Hussayn, al Dhaleh governorate. The Beirut meeting will include former Yemeni Vice President Ali Salem al Beidh and Head of the Supreme Council of the Southern Movement Hassan Ahmed al Baoum.[2]

• A committee of the National Dialogue tasked with dealing with southern issues recommended the dismissal of the Aden governor as well as a number of military commanders on March 27.[3]

• Popular committee members imposed a curfew on residents of in Lawder, Abyan governorate on March 27.[4]

• Forces from the 119th Infantry Brigade and popular committees raided homes suspected of belonging to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) members in the Sakin, 'Ays, and Jalijla areas west of Jaar, Abyan governorate, and in Shaqra, Abyan governorate.[5]

• Shabwah Axis Commander Major General Mohammed al Jamaa'i is working to mediate between the warring al Karb and al 'Asfour al Bareek tribes in Shabwah governorate. As a part of this mediation, al Jamaa'i met with Sheikh 'Amr 'Ali Bahismi in al 'Aqla, Shabwah governorate on March 28.[6]

• Tribal gunmen from Sharab, Taiz governorate, kidnapped a Shabwah man, Mubarak Salem Abdu Rabbu Muharraq, while he was visiting his brother, a political prisoner, in prison in Sana'a on March 27. The gunmen subsequently transferred him to Sharab, Taiz governorate.[7]

• Impoverished Yemeni youth are being bought and trafficked to Syria by Qatari security officers to fight as mercenaries in the Free Syrian Army and Jabhat al Nusrah, according to a March 28 report in Yemen Today.[8]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Somali and AMISOM forces found and cleared five improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Kismayo, Lower Jubba region on March 28 and 29.[9]

• Talks between the Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and Interim Governor of Kismayo Ahmed Madobe ended on March 29. The discussions, which focused on creating a new regional government, ended in a stalemate. The Somali government said that they were willing to make several concessions however, Madobe reportedly made unconstitutional demands.[10]

• The Somali government expects to receive its first shipment of light arms within two months of the United Nations Security Council decision to lift the arms ban on Somalia.[11]

• The Kenyan separatist group the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) raided a casino in Malindi, Kenya on March 28. The attackers were armed with machetes and began attacking casino patrons. Police intervened and shot and killed six MRC members. One police officer was killed in the incident. [12]

• Kenya-based Muslim Youth Center posted a message to its blog on March 29 calling for al Shabaab to take action against Omar Hammami for “fomenting dissent.”[13]

• Somali-based Islamic World Issues Study Center offered open interviews with Omar Hammami via its three websites on March 27. The interviews give proponents or opponents of jihad the opportunity to ask Hammami questions about Somali and Islamic concerns.[14]

• The Kenyan Supreme Court will rule on Raila Odinga’s election petition on March 30.[15]