Yemen: Saudi Arabia calls on Hadi government and STC to implement Riyadh Agreement; Hadi government suspends participation in redeployment committee in al Hudaydah governorate
Horn of Africa: Kenyan special forces kill six al Shabaab militants and capture one in Garissa County; al Shabaab claims three attacks in one day in Mandera County
Yemen Security Brief:
Saudi Arabia called on the internationally recognized Yemeni government of President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) to implement the November 2019 Riyadh Agreement. Saudi Arabia urged the parties to avoid escalating tensions and to remain focused on promoting national stability. Hadi government forces barred several STC leaders from returning to Aden City in Aden governorate in southwestern Yemen on March 12. The STC reportedly accused Saudi Arabia of having Jordanian authorities prevent STC leaders from flying out of Jordan to Aden City.[1]
The Hadi government suspended its participation in the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) in al Hudaydah governorate in western Yemen on March 11. The decision followed an al Houthi attack that killed a Hadi government liaison officer in al Hudaydah governorate on the same day. The 2018 UN-backed Stockholm Agreement established the RCC to monitor mutual force redeployment to the governorate.[2]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Kenyan special forces reportedly killed six al Shabaab militants and captured one in Jirole in Garissa County in eastern Kenya on March 13. Al Shabaab targeted Kenyan police reservists in Garissa County in late February.[3]
Al Shabaab claimed three separate attacks in Mandera County in eastern Kenya on March 12, conducted on the same day. The militants attacked a passenger bus in Mandera County, killing one Christian passenger. Al Shabaab also attacked a Safaricom telecommunications truck traveling to Mandera City. The militants killed two Kenyan Safaricom telecommunications engineers and destroyed their telecommunications equipment. Al Shabaab detonated an improvised explosive device targeting a Kenyan Defense Force military vehicle on a road between Jabbi and Bambo in Mandera County. The explosion allegedly killed and injured several soldiers. Kenyan security authorities have suspended bus services in Mandera County following the attacks.[4]
[1] “Saudi Arabia Calls on Yemen government, STC to implement Riyadh Agreement,” Middle East Monitor, March 13, 2020, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200313-saudi-arabia-calls-on-yemen-government-stc-to-implement-riyadh-agreement/; and Samuel Bloebaum and Pamela Makadsi, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 12, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 12, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-12-2020.
[2] Ali Mahmood, “Yemen government halts participation in Hodeidah truce process,” The National, March 13, 2020, https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/yemen-government-halts-participation-in-hodeidah-truce-process-1.992164; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 12, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 12, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-12-2020.
[3] Farhiya Hussein, “Six Shabaab militants killed, one captured,” Daily Nation, March 13, 2020, https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/garissa/Six-suspected-Shabaab-militants-killed--one-captured-/3444784-5489520-s2pydz/index.html; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 21, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 21, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-21-2020.
[4] “Shabaab Claims Killing Kenyan Christian in 1 of 3 Attacks in Mandera County,” SITE Intelligence Group, March 13, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and “Kenya halts bus services in Mandera over Al-Shabaab attacks,” SomaliAffairs, March 12, 2020, https://www.somaliaffairs.com/news/kenya-halts-bus-services-in-mandera-over-al-shabaab-attacks/.