Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: Armed Southern Movement supporters shut down road between Sana’a and Aden; Yemeni Interior Ministry reports six Somali pirates arrested near Aden

Horn of Africa: Former president of the Transitional Federal Government asks for forgiveness and calls for reconciliation; African Union Mission in Somalia reports eighty soldiers lost over two years; senior WHO official reports Somali health sector completely underfunded; independent UN expert condemns inhumane acts in Somalia and calls for support for the TFG

Yemen Security Review

• Armed Southern Movement supporters had shut down the road between Sana’a and Aden late on Thursday, according to holiday travelers. Following mediation by tribal leaders, the road was reopened.[1]

• The Yemeni Interior Ministry reports that six armed Somali pirates were arrested near Aden. The items seized include machine guns, RPGs and other missiles with ammunition.[2]

Horn of Africa Security Review

• Former president of the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, has asked for forgiveness from the people and called for an end to the conflicts in Somalia.[3]

• The African Union Mission in Somalia reported that it has lost eighty soldiers in explosions and firefights with Somali militants over the past two years. Burundi has lost forty-three soldiers and Uganda has lost thirty-seven.[4]

• A senior WHO official reported that the Somali health sector was extremely underfunded. Almost twenty-five percent of children under age five suffer from acute malnutrition and nearly 3.64 million people across the country are in need of aid relief.[5]

• An independent UN expert, Shamsul Bari has condemned the public floggings, executions, and stonings that have been occurring in Somalia and called on all parties to immediately end these practices. Bari has also called on al Shabaab and others to abide by international humanitarian laws and called on the international community to support the Transitional Federal Government.[6]