Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 13, 2022

Yemen: Yemenia Airways flights from Sana’a airport remain paused; Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of blocking flights at Sana’a airport; UN Envoy visits key Houthis in Sana’a; Yemeni Information Minister discusses PLC’s purpose

Somalia: Al Shabaab VBIED targets a Jubbaland official in southern Somalia; al Shabaab raids a South West State security forces base in southern Somalia; al Shabaab raids SNA checkpoints in southern Somalia 

Yemen Security Brief:

Yemenia Airways flights have not resumed from Sana’a airport as of April 12.[i] Yemen’s warring parties agreed to resume flights as part of the UN-brokered truce on April 1.[ii] Yemenia Airways did not report any flights departing or arriving in Sana’a on April 11 or 12 on their official Facebook page. Yemenia Airways said on April 8 that flights to and from Sana’a would resume on April 11.[iii]

The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of blocking the resumption of flights into and from Sana'a International Airport on April 12. The Houthis added that blocking flights jeopardizes Yemen’s fragile truce.[iv]

UN Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg met with the Houthi president, prime minister, and parliamentary speaker in Sana’a to discuss the UN-backed truce on April 13. The Houthi president reiterated that Saudi Arabia is blockading Hudaydah and Sana’a airport. Grundberg also met with the head of the Sana’a-based Central Bank of Yemen to discuss economic normalization and payment of government employee salaries.[v]

The Yemeni Information Minister said the purpose of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) is to unify political forces to address the “political, economic, developmental, military, and security challenges” facing Yemen and to defeat “Iran’s expansionist project.”[vi]

Somalia Security Brief:

Al Shabaab likely detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) targeting the Kismayo port operations chief in Farjano neighborhood, Kismayo, Lower Jubba region, southern Somalia, on April 13.[vii] The VBIED failed to kill the official but killed two civilians.  

Al Shabaab attacked a South West State security forces base in Baidoa, Bay region, southern Somalia, on April 13.[viii] Al Shabaab claimed they captured the base, killed one soldier, and wounded three others.

Al Shabaab raided two Somali National Army (SNA) checkpoints in Afgoi, Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia, on April 13.[ix]