Gulf of Aden Security Review -July 17, 2018

Yemen: Hadi government demands al Houthi forces release prisoners before negotiations; al Houthi forces attack Saudi troops in Jizan region, southern Saudi Arabia; militants attempt to assassinate Islah party leader and charity official in Aden  

Horn of Africa: Kenya deploys additional security forces to Somali border

Yemen Security Brief

Hadi government Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghir announced that the Hadi government will not engage in negotiations with the al Houthi movement until the al Houthi movement releases its prisoners during a July 16 meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Matthew Tueller. Daghir also called on the UN to pressure Iran to end its support for the al Houthi movement.^[1] 

Al Houthi forces claimed its troops attacked Saudi troops in Jizan region, southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border on July 13, 15, and 16. Al Houthi forces claimed to seize a Saudi post on  al Doud Mountain on July 13. Al Houthi forces also destroyed a Saudi military vehicle on al Nar Mountain on July 15 and two vehicles transporting Saudi and Sudanese troops at Tiwal Crossing near the Yemeni border on July 16, according to al Houthi media. Saudi and coalition sources did not comment on the attacks. ^[2]

Militants attempted to assassinate an Islah party leader in Aden city on July 17. The Islah party is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. Southern political actors and militias have targeted Islah officials and institutions several times in the past. Militants also detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting the head of a local charity’s al Dhaleh branch outside of a bank in al Mualla district, Aden city on July 17.^[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

The Kenyan government deployed additional National Police Reservists and military forces along the Kenyan-Somali border on July 17. Al Shabaab has conducted six attacks in Kenya in July.^[4]