Yemen: Al Houthis offer money to anyone that provides information on local and foreign forces aligned with Hadi government forces; several countries urge UNSC to pressure al Houthis to allow UN to inspect oil tanker in Red Sea
Horn of Africa: KDF claims killing 12 al Shabaab militants in southern Kenya; Puntland State president plans to visit Mogadishu to lobby for political forum between Somali Federal Government and members states
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea released a statement on March 19 claiming that the al Houthi movement will offer monetary rewards to anyone that provides information to the militants on local and foreign forces fighting for the internationally recognized Yemeni government led by President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi.[1]
Several countries wrote a joint letter addressed to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on March 19 urging the UNSC to increase pressure on the al Houthi movement to allow the UN to inspect a Yemeni oil tanker docked at al Hudaydah port in al Hudaydah governorate in western Yemen. UN ambassadors from Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government stated in the letter that the inspection is necessary to prevent an oil leak or explosion in the Red Sea that could damage the environment and increase the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The oil tanker docked at the port has served as a terminal to store and offload Yemeni oil since March 2015.[2]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) claimed they attacked al Shabaab’s Korisa Kotile Camp in Nginda near the Boni Forest in Lamu County in southern Kenya on March 19. The KDF killed 12 al Shabaab militants, captured one, and recovered several weapons and ammunition. A KDF official stated that the attack was part of an operation targeting militants responsible for an attempted attack on the KDF Kotile Special Operations Group Camp on March 13.[3]
Puntland State President Said Deni announced on March 19 that he will visit the Somali capital Mogadishu to lobby for political discussions between the Somali Federal Government (SFG) and its member states. Deni seeks to ease tensions between the SFG and its members states. Puntland State officials hosted a three-day forum for former and current SFG member state representatives and regional leaders in mid-March.[4]
[1] “Sanaa offers rewards for arrest of local foreign leaders of Saudi coalition,” Middle East Monitor, March 19, 2020, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200319-yemen-sanaa-offers-rewards-for-arrest-of-local-foreign-leaders-of-saudi-coalition/.
[2] “Arabs urge Yemen’s Houthis to allow UN to assess oil tanker,” The Washington Post, March 20, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/arabs-urge-yemens-houthis-to-allow-un-to-assess-oil-tanker/2020/03/19/c803dea2-6a43-11ea-b199-3a9799c54512_story.html.
[3] “Kenyan army says kills 12 Al-Shabaab militants in Boni Forrest,” Somali Affairs, March 20, 2020, https://www.somaliaffairs.com/news/kenyan-army-says-kills-12-al-shabaab-militants-in/; and Mohamed Ahmed, “Kenya: KDF Troops Kill 12 Suspected Al-Shabaab in Boni Forest Raid,” Daily Nation, March 20, 2020, https://www.nation.co.ke/news/KDF-kill-12-suspected-Al-Shabaab-in-Lamu/1056-5497376-12v9t6ez/index.html.
[4] “Puntland President to make historic trip to Mogadishu amid political chaos,” Garowe, March 20, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/puntland/puntland-president-deni-to-make-historic-trip-to-mogadishu-amid-political-chaos-in-somalia.