Yemen: Yemen troops to deploy to Saudi border; ceasefire terms being implemented; three al Qaeda suspects arrested in Ma’rib; Yemen seeks diplomatic office in Hargeisa
Horn of Africa: Transitional Federal Government and Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a close to reaching agreement; clashes in Mogadishu kill at least four; al Shabaab retakes Dhobley; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed speaks at ceremony for slain minister
Yemen Security Brief
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Yemeni troops will deploy along the Saudi border on Saturday, following a deal with the al Houthi rebels. A member of the committee overseeing the truce said that the engineering teams will finish removing mines Friday, allowing the army to move to the border.[1]
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The committee overseeing the implementation of the truce agreement with the al Houthi rebels reports that the two sides have resumed implantation of the deal’s six terms, including the removal of mines, opening roads, and armed conflict.[2]
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Security forces arrested three al Qaeda suspects in Ma’rib province on Thursday. The suspects were reportedly in a car without a license plate when they were arrested. They have been handed over to the authorities for questioning.[3]
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The Yemeni government is reportedly seeking to open a new diplomatic office in Hargeisa, Somaliland as part of the bilateral relationship between the two governments. An official delegation is to be sent to Hargeisa in coming weeks to discuss new office.[4]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
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Reports from Addis Ababa say that the Transitional Federal Government and Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a are close to reaching an agreement. Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a has backed down from its earlier demands and will now agree to five cabinet slots in the government. Additionally, the agreement would lead to the merger of government and Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a forces.[5]
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Clashes in Mogadishu killed at least four people, including two civilians, and injured five others. Fighting erupted between government soldiers over the ownership of a gun.[6]
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Al Shabaab has reportedly retaken the town of Dhobley from Hizb al Islam.[7]
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President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed called for insurgents in Somalia to stop fighting. He said that the only way to achieve a sustainable peace is to enter into a national dialogue. President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed made this statement at a memorial ceremony for the Sports and Youth Minister, Suleiman Olad Roble, who recently died in a Saudi hospital from injuries sustained in the December 3 suicide bombing.[8]