Gulf of Aden Security Review - July 20, 2010

Yemen: Awlaki warns Yemen could be next Iraq, Afghanistan; 26 killed in northern Yemen clashes; five people injured in separatist clashes in Dhaleh; Sana’a explosion kills two people, injures four others; Yemeni official meets Indian military attaché

Horn of Africa: Ugandan authorities now holding 20 Somalis, bringing total suspects to over 40 in bombings investigation; Uganda PM urges troop support from other AU states at summit; Burundi defense spokesman assures no withdrawal from Somalia; Somaliland soldiers clash with militia in Buhoodle, five people killed; Puntland cabinet authorizes new electoral commission to work towards multi-party elections; UN aid worker detained, not kidnapped

Yemen Security Brief

• U.S.-born radical cleric Anwar al Awlaki warned late Monday in an online audio posting that Yemen could become like Iraq and Afghanistan for the U.S.  The audio tape appears to be the full version of a clip released to CNN in March.[1]

• 18 pro-government tribesmen and eight al Houthi rebels were killed in ongoing clashes over the past three days in northern Yemen, according to a provincial official.  Fierce fighting is still occurring in the Harf Sufyan district of Amran procince.[2]

• Five people were injured, including three security personnel, after fighting erupted Monday in Dhaleh province between authorities and crowds that gathered to greet three Southern Movement detainees released on President Saleh’s orders.[3]

• Two people were killed and four others injured Monday night after an explosion occurred on the second story of a three-story home in Sana’a.  Sources said the explosion was caused by detonators used to blast rocks.  Experts were sent to remove roughly 500 more detonators stored inside the house.[4]

• Yemen’s Chief of General Staff Ahmed al Ashwal met Monday with Indian military attaché Ajay Kumar to discuss bilateral security cooperation.[5]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Ugandan authorities are now holding at least 20 Somalis in connection with the Kampala bombings, as well as seven Pakistanis.  This raises the total number of suspects held to over 40 people.[6]

• Uganda Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi urged other African states to follow through on their pledges to contribute troops to AMISOM in a speech at the African Union summit.[7]

• A Burundi defense spokesman said his country has taken measures to prevent attacks similar to those executed by al Shabaab in Uganda and reiterated that Burundi will not withdraw its troops from Somalia.[8]

• Somaliland soldiers fought a rebel militia in Buhoodle in the disputed Ayn province. The clashes, which Somaliland officials blamed on an al Shabaab-linked local militant group, killed five people.[9]

• Puntland’s presidential cabinet unanimously passed a bill appointing an interim electoral commission that, in addition to general election oversight, will seek to institute multi-party elections.[10]

• A UN aid worker was detained Sunday at a security checkpoint by local authorities and not kidnapped as originally reported.[11]