Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 26, 2023

Yemen: Yemeni media report Houthi-ROYG peace negotiations will resume; A Houthi official threatens Saudi Arabia with attacks if peace talks collapse; Yemeni ambassador to China meets with Xi Jinping

Somalia: Somali police arrest a suspected al Shabaab militant with a MBIED in Mogadishu; Somali president arrives in Uganda to discuss upcoming drawdowns of the African Union force in Somalia

Yemen Security Brief

Yemeni media outlet al Mashhad al Yemeni reported on April 25 that “informed sources” said that negotiations on prisoner exchanges, reopening key infrastructure, unifying the Central Bank, and government salaries will resume between the Houthis and Yemeni government (ROYG) on an unspecified date.[i]

A Houthi political bureau member said on April 24 that Houthi “targeting” would not be limited to oil and desalination facilities in Saudi Arabia if Saudi-Houthi negotiations fail. The official threatened that “navigation will stop completely,” implying attacks against Saudi airports and seaports.[ii]

The Yemeni ambassador to China traveled to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jingping on April 25.[iii]

Somalia Security Brief

Somali police arrested a suspected al Shabaab militant riding a motorcycle-borne improvised explosive device in Daynile district, Mogadishu, on April 26.[iv]

The Somali president arrived in Kampala, Uganda, to meet with the heads of state of countries contributing to the African Union force in Somalia on April 26.[v] The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia is scheduled to draw down its troop numbers in June 2023 and withdraw all soldiers by December 2024.