Gulf of Aden Security Review - January 21, 2015

Yemen: al Houthis seize Presidential Palace in Sana’a and hold President Hadi under house arrest; US sends two naval warships to Red Sea in response to unrest in Sana’a; Al Houthis seize missile brigade camp in Sana’a

Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab releases statement praising Charlie Hebdo attacks while calling for more such attacks; Somali security forces tighten security in Mogadishu

Yemen Security Brief

• Al Houthi militants seized the Presidential Palace in the capital Sana’a on January 21 and are not permitting President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi from leaving the compound. The seizure came immediately before al Houthi leader Abdul Malik al Houthi gave a televised address warning the government to accept al Houthi demands.[1]

• The United States in response to unrest in the capital sent two naval warships to Yemen’s coast on January 21 in preparation for a possible embassy evacuation.[2]

• Al Houthi militants took control of a missile brigade camp in western Sana’a on January 21. The seizure followed the al Houthi takeover of the Presidential Palace nearby.[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Al Shabaab released a statement to jihadi forums on January 20, praising the January 7 Charlie Hebdo Paris attacks. In the statement al Shabaab praised the Kouachi brothers and thanked al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) who took credit for the attack. Al Shabaab also called for more attacks by Muslims in Europe.[4]

• Somali security forces carried out security operations on January 20 in Mogadishu targeting suspected al Shabaab militants. The security operations come after a Somali official was killed and a vehicle carrying explosives accidentally exploded in Mogadishu.[5]