Gulf of Aden Security Review
The Critical Threats Project Gulf of Aden Security Review provides daily updates on the security situation in Yemen and the Horn of Africa.
Yemen: Yemeni forces recapture building amidst widespread protests in the south; al Qaeda suspect in hospital shootout is American; donors not following through on aid pledges to Yemen; two soldiers dead in Taiz; government forms committees to address citizens’ grievances in the south and east.
Horn of Africa: UN World Food Program cuts ties with three of its Somali contractors; 43 Somalis dead in Mogadishu in the past two days; clan warfare kills two in Mudug; TFG and Islamist rebels spread message on radio; World Food Program to assist Puntland with port.
Horn of Africa: Fighting between TFG and AU forces and al Shabaab militants leave 26 dead in Mogadishu streets; U.S. embassy bombing mastermind takes over al Shabaab; half of food aid to Somalia diverted to corrupt officials and Islamist rebels, successful pirate attacks fall by 62% since last year; accused al Shabaab conspirator pleads not guilty; Dutch want more information before extraditing Somali man to the United States; AFRICOM head says U.S. supports Somali recapture of Mogadishu.
Yemen: President Saleh offers talks with separatists after recent violence; rights group calls for increased precautions to avoid Yemeni civilian deaths; “Pentagon document” confirms American aid will be used for Yemeni helicopters; Yemeni government cuts cell phone service in the south of the country to crackdown on rioters; authorities order al Jazeera to close offices in Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab conspirator to be tried in New York; UK set to deliver security aid to Somalia; gunfight kills five in Mogadishu; mortar round kills two civilians south of Mogadishu; Somali MPs attend Puntland meeting; civilian killed by armed men in Dharkenley district of Mogadishu.
Yemen: Al Qaeda militant kills guard in failed hospital escape attempt; Saudi Arabia denies change in border with Yemen following conflict with rebels; 3 soldiers killed in military operation in Dhale; 27 arrested in southern Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Canada places al Shabaab on terrorist list; Somali government plans to take back Mogadishu with American assistance; al Shabaab plans defense of capital; French ship captures 35 pirates; Ethiopia to release two Somali MPs.
Yemen: U.S. will not send monitors for Yemeni elections; separatists reject government apology; al Fadhli barred from leaving home.
Horn of Africa: al Shabaab bans science and English classes; Islamist rebels and AU forces clash in Mogadishu; clan fighting kills 14 in central Somalia; al Shabaab WFP ban creates greater hunger problem; armed militia kills businessman in Galkayo; French warship arrests eleven suspected pirates.
Yemen: Yemeni forces arrest 11 al Qaeda suspects; clashes between police and separatists leaves three dead in southern Yemen; Yemeni government apologizes for civilian casualties in the south; government ready to talk to southern separatist leaders; U.S. official says southern movement is an internal matter for Yemen; northern Yemen faces difficulties after ceasefire; Saudi claims to have arrested more than 5,500 Yemeni “infiltrators” along its border.
Horn of Africa: New Somali party formed in the UK; al Shabaab destroys graves in Baidoa; Somali pirates expand attacks to land; former Mogadishu mayor accuses al Shabaab of “clan favor” in banning WFP; transferring money through mobile phones provides Somalis safety during conflict; TFG against recognition of Somaliland as independent state.
Yemen: Security forces lay siege to al Fadhli’s house; religious schools in Yemen face stricter scrutiny; former President of South Yemen, Ali Salem al Beidh, says unity failed; Turkish president reaffirms support of Yemeni government; aid programs in northern Yemen threatened by lack of funding.
Horn of Africa: Death toll in Mogadishu clash rises to 12; pirates hijack empty Saudi tanker; al Shabaab states willingness to fight Kenya; Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a calls for journalism censoring; UN World Food Program reports capture of trucks and drivers by pirates near coastal town of Eyl.
Yemen: Building collapse in Taiz governorate kills at least eighteen people, injures fifteen; family of jailed journalist accuses Yemeni government of torture; high-level State Department official meets with President Saleh; war with northern rebels displaced 300,000; PM Mujawar will not allow al Houthis to re-arm themselves; al Houthi fighters kill girl; Landmines kill 2 in Sa’ada.
Horn of Africa: Government forces and Islamists fight in Mogadishu; Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a executes a man; NATO sinks Somali pirate ship; UN speaks against foreign interference in Somali affairs; al Shabaab calls on farmers to double food production; TFG tells WFP to continue operations; WFP will continue operations in Somalia; Somali PM faces vote of no-confidence; Puntland President dissolves cabinet.
Yemen: Yemeni security forces fight southern rebels; southern rallies broken up by police; 69 African refugees arrested; schools reopen in Sa’ada; al Houthi rebels given 12 day deadline for ceasefire implementation.
Horn of Africa: AU proposes no-fly zone on Somalia; al Shabaab orders the World Food Program to halt operations and leave; 4 government soldiers killed in roadside bombing; 4 killed in heavy fighting in Galkayo; Britain bans al Shabaab; Hizb al Islam claims differences from al Shabaab.
Yemen: Yemeni police officer killed by southern separatists; U.S. to help expand Yemen’s air force to battle AQAP; ceasefire faces challenges from new signs of al Houthi conflict; Yemen’s ruling political party accuses former governor of supplying weapons to the al Houthi rebels.
Horn of Africa: Former Hizb al Islam official absconds money and changes name; former senior Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a official rejects TFG deal; Singaporean ship released by pirates for cash.
Yemen: Al Houthis reportedly withdrew from old city of Sa’ada; Yemen investing money in Tarim to increase tourism; Yemen to sign agreements with Saudi Arabia on Saturday; over 40 human traffickers arrested.
Horn of Africa: AU seeks more direct funding for TFG; IDPs protest water shortage; TFG to discuss return of WFP in southern Somalia; Hizb al Islam accused by al Shabaab of planting explosives in Bakara market.
Yemen: Yemeni FM claims that AQAP could target ships in key strait; AQAP leaders call for shari’a law in Yemen; al Houthi rebels leaving Old Saada City; southern separatists kill court guard; up to 130 southern rioters now arrested; al Houthi rebels confirm the death of remaining Saudi captives.
Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a denies claims of power sharing agreement; deputy commissioner killed in Puntland; pirates apprehended in Gulf of Aden.
Yemen: Yemen denies rumor that the U.S. is opening facilities on Socotra; al Houthi rebels continue to be uncooperative in implementing the ceasefire; the Pentagon approved $150 million in military assistance; small arms dealers moving underground.
Horn of Africa: Somali President pleads for international assistance; al Shabaab militants killed in Mogadishu explosion; Hizb al Islam denies involvement in Mogadishu explosion; Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a clerics hold meeting with TFG forces.
Yemen: General David Petraeus assesses AQAP threat; Yemeni forces arrest 80 separatists amid violence and unrest; southern separatists assassinate police chief; Yemen tightens coastal security and arrests 46 Somali refugees; Yemen orders the Coast Guard to shutdown main waterways.
Horn of Africa: Explosion in Mogadishu leaves three dead; al Shabaab declares victory in central Somalia fighting; al Shabaab kills southern tribal chief; al Shabaab targeted by roadside bomb; Hizb al Islam officials arrested by al Shabaab.
Yemen: Yemen troops to deploy to Saudi border; ceasefire terms being implemented; three al Qaeda suspects arrested in Ma’rib; Yemen seeks diplomatic office in Hargeisa.
Horn of Africa: Transitional Federal Government and Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a close to reaching agreement; clashes in Mogadishu kill at least four; al Shabaab retakes Dhobley; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed speaks at ceremony for slain minister.
Yemen: Saudi Arabia arrests suspected AQ member; Yemeni forces arrest three AQ suspects; al Houthi insurgents release two Saudi soldiers; Saudi alleges AQAP received help from Pakistani expert.
Horn of Africa: Somali weapons market thriving; Hizb al Islam reportedly takes control of Dhobley; three soldiers killed in Mogadishu; Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a negotiating for PM position; Somali forces prepare for offensive.
Yemen: AQAP claims successful testing of new “anti-detectable” explosive; former prominent opposition leader and prime minister mediated Saudi-Houthi truce; the six ceasefire terms are being carried out well; al Houthi rebels withdraw from Saudi border; Southern Movement to launch intifada.
Horn of Africa: Islamic militants battle over border town; TFG claims it foiled attacks on the government; two civilians die in confrontation with government soldiers; UN claims U.S. humanitarian policy in Somalia is “impossible.”
Yemen: AQAP releases 12th issue of “Echo of the Epics;” AQ leaders warned of potential exposure; AQAP launches offensive; Saudi Arabia welcomes truce.
Horn of Africa: Government soldiers targeted in recent explosion; Somali State Minister survives an assassination attempt; Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a condemns assassination on Minister.
Yemen: Al Houthis release Saudi captive; al Houthis deny assassination attempt of Interior Ministry official; U.S. welcomes ceasefire.
Horn of Africa: Uganda to send new troops to Somalia; African Union decides to keep AMISOM on the defensive; District Commissioner wounded by Somali government forces; 4 al Shabaab militants killed; Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a officials meets with TFG officials in Ethiopia; thousands flee Mogadishu in February alone.
Yemen: Potential al Qaeda suicide bomber arrested; 20 al Houthi insurgents killed by Yemeni security forces; Yemen rejects al Houthi ceasefire; U.S. considers funding and training Yemeni security forces.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab indicates its desire to align with al Qaeda; two al Shabaab bases were attacked; fighting erupts in southern Somalia between Islamist groups; Djibouti warned by al Shabaab not to deploy troops.
Yemen: The U.S. is sending more Special Forces to aid Yemeni counterterror efforts; the international community urges Yemen to reform and fight corruption; drug addiction grows among al Houthis; Yemen to join WTO in 2010.
Horn of Africa: After a drawn out seven hour battle in Mogadishu, 18 remain dead and dozens injured; the UN WFP is set to resume operations in southern Somalia; Somaliland explosion raises concern over security and stability.
Yemen: Al Houthis announce truce with Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia considering al Houthi truce; gunfire between Yemeni soldiers and unknown attackers leaves three soldiers dead; seven members of al Qaeda have been sentenced to 5-10 years in prison.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab claims responsibility for AU hospital bombing; Islamists and AU troops clash in Mogadishu; Yemen enforces tougher restrictions on Somali refugees; U.S. to take in 5,800 Somali refugees.
Yemen: Al Qaeda militants attack a checkpoint in Sana’a; an al Houthi initiative over the war in northern Yemen is scheduled to take place today; U.S. officials state their development aid program to Yemen; European Union states the presence of al Qaeda in Yemen is not an essential problem.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab named a local market after a killed al Qaeda leader; al Shabaab Islamizes Somali schools; UK students were recruited for jihad in Somalia.
Yemen: Citizens cooperate in Yemeni counter-terrorism efforts; Salafists reject accusations of terrorism; Al Houthi rebels claim leader is in good health.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab denies threat to attack Nairobi; al Shabaab amputates man’s hand in public; Hizb al Islam takes over Beledweyn; U.S. sends Somali terror suspect to halfway house.
Yemen: Yemen halts issue of visas to foreigners; violent protests arise in Abyan over water shortage; U.S. to hold talks with Yemen; immigration to Yemen up 55% in 2009; Yemeni Air Force strikes terrorist hideout.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab warns Kenya against “invading Somalia;” Amnesty International calls for suspension of military assistance to Somali government.
Yemen: Yemen bombs home of suspected al Qaeda militant; al Houthi insurgency more dangerous than al Qaeda; Yemen aims to increase daily oil production; al Houthis claim to have shot down Saudi plane.
Horn of Africa: Government soldiers join al Shabaab; Puntland lawmaker gunned down in Bosasso; Kenya warns Somali MPs against hiding in Nairobi.
Yemen: Five al Qaeda members reported dead; al Qaeda denies Yemeni government reports of its leaders’ deaths; Ysusf al-Shehri – not Saeed al-Shehri – was captured by the Yemeni government; Islamic scholars warn against foreign intervention.
Horn of Africa: Somalia and Yemen exchanging militants; 16 members of the Somali Parliament arrested in Nairobi; thousands of IDPs further displaced; duel explosions rock Somalia’s Galkayo; Puntland MP killed, suspect caught.
Yemen: Yemeni security forces report the death of Abdullah al Mehdar, an al Qaeda cell leader in Shabwah; Saudi forces kill Houthis along border; Foreign Ministry spokesman denies reports that al Qirbi had renewed offer for open dialogue with al Qaeda.
Horn of Africa: Grenade attack in Hargeisa, Somaliland on police station injures three; Somali central bank accuses al Shabaab of using informal money transfers; twenty people killed in fighting in Beledweyne; mortars kill at least ten in Mogadishu.
Yemen: Fifteen al Houthi rebels killed by pro-government tribesmen; Yemen negotiates for release of hostages; Yemen arrests eighteen who smuggle Africans into Yemen; three soldiers wounded in Dhaleh on Sunday.
Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a and al Shabaab fight over central towns; bomb explodes in Bosasso; al Shabaab evicts residents of former government buildings in Kismayo; fire destroys homes in IDP camp in Wadajir district in Mogadishu.
Yemen: President says Yemen willing to talk with disarmed al Qaeda militants; Southern Movement strike in Dhaleh and Lahj province; al Houthi sleeper cell arrested; at least twenty al Houthi rebels killed in Sa’ada.
Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a executes al Shabaab commander in Dhusa Mareb; at least eighteen people killed in fighting in Beledweyne; Somali MP found dead in his hotel; al Shabaab arrests at least ten men in Kismayo; Somaliland thwarts bomb attack on mosque.
Yemen: Yemeni Interior Ministry reports arrest of three suspected al Qaeda militants; al Houthi rebels say fifteen civilians killed by air strikes on their website; humanitarian situation in Yemen deteriorating quickly.
Horn of Africa: At least twenty people killed by mortars and artillery shells in Mogadishu; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed calls on elders to support government; Hizb al Islam says it has no problem with the country’s blue flag; Sheikh Aden Madobe dismisses call for resignation.
Yemen: Yemeni security forces conduct operations against al Houthi rebels in Sa’ada province; national dialogue delayed for second time; Yemen declares open war on al Qaeda; Western intelligence provides new information on al Qaeda.
Horn of Africa: Somali military chief escapes assassination attempt; body of white teenage boy found in Wajadir in Mogadishu; Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a and Hizb al Islam fight outside of Beledweyne; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed reportedly trying to oust Speaker of the House Sheikh Aden Madobe.
Yemen: Security forces arrest three militants wounded in earlier raid; mediation efforts end clash at al Ayyam’s office in Aden; Yemen opposes foreign troop involvement in fight against al Qaeda.
Horn of Africa: Puntland MP killed in Bosasso; the Transitional Federal Government is reportedly importing tanks; Somali MP’s demand payment for past nine months; shelling in Mogadishu kills at least eleven people.
Yemen: Clashes in Aden kill one soldier, injure three others; U.S. and British embassies in Yemen reopen; President Saleh met with Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense and the Deputy Minister of the Interior to discuss relations; Yemen deploys thousands of troops against al Qaeda.
Horn of Africa: The UN World Food Program suspends operations in southern Somalia; IDPs outside of Mogadishu flee mortars; al Shabaab militants reportedly stole $100,000 from Mogadishu company; Puntland security forces uncover bomb plot.
Yemen: U.S. and British embassies in Yemen to remain closed for second day; al Houthi rebels have welcomed ceasefire conditions; Yemeni government tightens security after al Shabaab’s statement; Yemeni families flee following rumors of security operation against al Qaeda in Dhale province.
Horn of Africa: Sheikh Mukhtar Ali Abu Mansur declared al Shabaab fighters would join al Qaeda in Yemen; al Shabaab attacks World Food Program after deadline passes; Somali Defense Minister accuses Yemeni rebels of supporting al Shabaab; clashes in Dhusa Mareb in Galgudud leave at least forty-seven people dead; Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a form parliament in Abudwaq; Danish-Somali man who attacked Danish cartoonist received praise from al Shabaab and was previously arrested in Kenya.
Yemen: Yemeni security forces fight al Qaeda militants, arresting one; Syrian Foreign Minister Waleed al Mualim called mediation efforts between Yemen and Iran failed; Yemeni Parliament ratifies UN Convention Against Corruption, Money Laundering, and Terrorist Financing.
Horn of Africa: Reports that a Somali man attempted attack similar to Abdulmutallab’s in November; Chinese admiral proposes naval base in Gulf of Aden; Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki calls for assistance to Somalia; reports of malaria outbreak in the Lower Shabelle Region.
Yemen: Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al Qirbi estimates presence of three hundred al Qaeda militants in Yemen and calls for increased levels of support; Yemen pledges further action against AQAP; government troops attack al Houthi rebels in al Malahaidh; one soldier dies from wounds sustained during Southern Movement demonstration in Lahj province.
Horn of Africa: Somali IDPs demonstrate against water shortages; al Shabaab exacts taxes from Mogadishu businessmen; al Shabaab bans Radio Mogadishu; fighting breaks out near Beledweyne; al Shabaab rejects proposal for semi-autonomous state in south; Somali pirates seize two more vessels; Ethiopian troops withdraw from positions in Hiraan and Galmudug regions; Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama declares it will launch attacks after imposition of UN sanctions.
Yemen: Al Qaeda threatens to retaliate after Yemeni strikes; official sources claim Abdul Malik al Houthi is dead, no confirmation from the rebels; Yemeni court sentences Iranian to death, two other Iranians to five-years in prison; local tribesmen in al Jawf attack al Houthi rebels; clashes between Southern Movement supporters and security forces occur in Lahj and Dhale provinces.
Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a and Hizb al Islam clash near Beledweyne; local NGO official in Gedo region shot dead; Hizb al Islam arrests seventy for banditry; Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a arrests four in south planning to bomb town; mediation talks between al Shabaab and Hizb al Islam fail in Kismayo.
Yemen: Yemeni strike on al Qaeda reportedly kills thirty militants in Shabwa; Tariq al Fadhli threatens to arm followers in response to "official violence"; Joint Meeting Parties hosts open symposium discussing Yemeni issues; Yemen bans imports of well-drillers.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al Islam denounces UN sanctions on Eritrea; clashes in Galkayo leave at least nine people dead; Saudi deports over one hundred and thirty Somalis; al Shabaab gains control of more southern districts.
Yemen: Three German children kidnapped in June appear in recent video; Rashad al Alimi explains Yemen al Qaeda operations; activists say security forces frequently target journalists.
Horn of Africa: UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Eritrea; al Shabaab enforces Taliban-style dress in Kismayo; bus driver shot and killed in Wadajir district of Mogadishu by men in government military uniforms; militias loyal to Puntland and Galmudug fight in Galkayo.
Yemen: Suspected al Qaeda leaders speak at southern rally; twenty-five al Houthi rebels killed during special operations in Sa'ada; Deputy Speaker of Parliament suspended his membership following attack on al Qaeda.
Horn of Africa: WFP officer gunned down in Beledweyne; explosion targets Hizb al Islam base in Elesha Biyaha near Afgoi; fighting between al Shabaab and government forces near Sarkusta between Afgoi and Mogadishu; Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a clerics resolve to form administrations in towns under their control.
Yemen: Explosions in al Majalah in Abyan province kill two civilians and injure ten others; Abdul Malik al Houthi reportedly dies of injuries from air raid; special operations by government forces kill twenty-five al Houthi rebels; Yemen demands extradition of former southern Yemen presidents.
Horn of Africa: Violence in Mogadishu escalates as MPs return; Islamists attack police ceremony in Mogadishu; al Shabaab claims to have fought Ogaden National Liberation Front militants in Dhobley; Ethiopian troops have reportedly re-entered Somalia; Hizb al Islam bans humanitarian agencies from carrying weapons in Hiraan region; ideological differences cause split in al Shabaab; the Speaker of Puntland’s parliament escapes assassination attempt.
Yemen: Yemeni government warns citizens against helping terrorists, reports that al Qaeda's al Kazimi died in attack in Abyan; Yemeni Interior Ministry reported hunt for Iranian boat carrying weapons; Ethiopians dominate the African refugees trying to enter Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab loots UN Mine Action Service compounds in Baidoa; al Shabaab in Jubba region claims recent clashes against Ogaden National Liberation Front fighters, not Hizb al Islam fighters; Hizb al Islam and al Shabaab have failed to reconcile differences; Somaliaís Parliament to re-open shortly.
Yemen: Yemen security forces report that they have killed thirty-four al Qaeda militants; President Saleh ordered compensation for 17-year-old land seizures in south; number of H1N1 infections still on the rise; President Saleh outlines vision for national dialogue to Shura Council.
Horn of Africa: Puntland elders condemn beheadings of two southerners; al Shabaab bans work of UN Mine Action Program; AU peacekeepers reportedly arrest two government officials for supplying arms to Islamists.
Yemen: Over two-hundred al Houthi rebels arrested in old Sa’ada city; Somali refugees reportedly forced to join al Houthi rebels at gunpoint; Saudi intelligence service has station in Sana’a to hunt al Qaeda members; Abu Dhabi gives $650 million grant to Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab refutes rumor that Abu Zubayr is no longer commander; Ethiopian troops arrest elders in Mustahil in Hiraan; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has reshuffled cabinet to fill in vacancies; at least two people died in Mudug in fighting between rival clan militias; demonstrations in Bossaso against violence.
Yemen: Yemeni military executed airstrikes in Razeh district and killed at least five leaders in special operations; Human Rights Watch releases a report documenting violations in southern Yemen; President Ali Abdullah Saleh requested national dialogue to begin on December 26; over 120 Somalis reach Yemen’s coast; General Petraeus says U.S. providing support to Yemen within military cooperation agreement framework.
Horn of Africa: Roadside bomb kills at least three police officers and injures eight others in Bossaso; fighting in Mogadishu kills over twenty people and injures thirty-one others; Puntland names new Minister of Information; landmine dating from 1977 Ethiopian war explodes, killing six children; Ogaden National Liberation Front warns oil companies operating in the region.
Yemen: Iranian cleric says al Houthis connected to al Qaeda; ninety al Houthi rebels have surrendered in Sa’ada; two alleged al Qaeda members arrested in Ma’rib; bomb in Hawta injures two.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al Islam applies strict Shari’ah punishments in town of Afgoi; al Shabaab attacks government and African Union troops in Mogadishu; Puntland security forces kill attacker in Galkayo; Banadir University classes have resumed.
Yemen: Twenty-five al Houthi rebels surrender in Sa’ada; rioting in Lahij province injures another three people; UNHCR report details deteriorating IDP situation.
Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a official reports agreement signed with the Transitional Federal Government; clashes in Mogadishu kill seven; twelve tons of munitions destroyed in Galkayo; Ethiopian Ogaden National Liberation Front continues fight against the Ethiopian government.
Yemen: Demonstrations continue in Lahij province; fate of Yemeni pilot unclear; Ministry of Public Health and Population concerned.
Horn of Africa: Heavy fighting in Mogadishu killed at least ten civilians and injured over two dozen others; three people injured in Galkayo explosion targeting foreigner; Puntland has agreement with outside security company; conference in Mombasa drafting new charter; over fifty chieftains detained in Qardo in Puntland.
Yemen: Yemeni fighter jets bombed al Houthi positions in al Jawf; government troops continue offensive in the old city of Sa’ada; two injured by bomb in Lahij province; population has doubled in the main camp for IDPs.
Horn of Africa: President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed vowed to escalate war against insurgents; the December 3 suicide bomber was reportedly a Somali-Danish man; al Shabaab has banned the selling of qat in Afmadow and Dhobley districts; two students killed by Hizb al Islam militants.
Yemen: Yemeni army advances in old Sa’ada city; authorities arrest Somalis with al Houthi ties; armed separatists force shops and schools to close; U.S. Congress passes resolution calling for promotion of reforms in Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Residents protest Islamist groups in Mogadishu; heavy shelling in Mogadishu kills eight; cleric assassinated in Bosasso; Djibouti Foreign Minister reportedly said there was a change in al Shabaab’s leadership.
Yemen: Yemeni army escalation leads to al Houthi leaders’ surrender; al Jawf tribesmen block al Houthi rebels’ attempt to open new front; Yemeni army hits al Houthi strongholds in old city of Sa’ada; clashes in Dhaleh province over elections kill two people; Yemeni Ministry of Communications and Information Technology declares investigation into NewsYemen attack.
Horn of Africa: Clashes in Mogadishu between al Shabaab and government forces kill at least ten people; Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a denies report of peace deal with government; nine people killed in two separate mosque-attacks; Somali police warn of future suicide attacks and Kenya arrests over 300 accused of al Shabaab ties; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed vowed to defeat opposition groups following the Shamo Hotel suicide bombing.
Yemen: Southern Movement demonstration turns violent – one dead and four wounded during clashes; Yemeni government and separatists exchange blame for highway attack.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab denies responsibility for suicide attack; call for 40,000 additional soldiers in Somalia; Ugandans said to be among al Shabaab’s fighters.
Yemen: NewsYemen website hacked and destroyed; street in Sana’a renamed after Iranian protester.
Horn of Africa: Explosion at graduation ceremony in Mogadishu kills at least nineteen; Deputy Commander-in-Chief of al Shabaab’s Middle Shabelle militia defects to government; al Shabaab attacked Burundi base in Mogadishu; UN delegation met with government officials in Mogadishu.
Yemen: Man arrested with grenade in Aden.
Horn of Africa: Grenade attack in Bosasso kills at least two people and wounds over twenty-four others; Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a clerics targets in grenade attack on Galkayo mosque; al Shabaab militants disarmed Hizb al Islam leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed visits military bases in Mogadishu; two Somali commanders may have lost government posts.
Yemen: Yemeni Defense Minister declares the end to the northern rebellion is near; bandits in south kill two people.
Horn of Africa: Victory in Mogadishu claimed by both Islamists and government forces; Hizb al Islam declares escalation against Transitional Federal Government and African Union troops; al Shabaab pardons Hizb al Islam officials and says it will not go into Kenya; AMISOM has contact with al Shabaab; new Somali national charter under consideration; Somali pirates create exchange in Haradheere.
Yemen: Al Houthi rebels and Yemeni security forces clash outside of Sa’ada; man arrested for attempted hijacking of Yemenia plane in Sana’a; security forces deployed to Aden because of Southern Movement rally.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab reports Hizb al Islam leaders currently in Kenya; Ethiopian troops seen in town of Galkayo; government troops arrest over thirty individuals in Mogadishu; Ugandan commander claims al Qaeda and Somali Islamists are cooperating; Somali pirates hijack oil tanker.
Yemen: Armed Southern Movement supporters shut down road between Sana’a and Aden; Yemeni Interior Ministry reports six Somali pirates arrested near Aden.
Horn of Africa: Former president of the Transitional Federal Government asks for forgiveness and calls for reconciliation; African Union Mission in Somalia reports eighty soldiers lost over two years; senior WHO official reports Somali health sector completely underfunded; independent UN expert condemns inhumane acts in Somalia and calls for support for the TFG.
Yemen: Clashes in Malahaidh and Harf Sufyan, capture of al Houthi leader Abud Shamlan; confirmation of senior anti-terrorism officer’s execution; new camp for IDPs opened in Mizraq; President Saleh to call for comprehensive national dialogue.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab takes over Dhobley from Hizb al Islam; Eritrean President warns against imposing sanctions on his country; Hizb al Islam orders government troops to leave Martini Hospital in Mogadishu; two journalists released after fifteen months of captivity; AMISOM troops’ payments in arrears since May.
Yemen: Yemeni forces and southern separatists clash, leaving five dead; Yemeni government orders the closure of an Iranian run hospital and clinic; Nurses-in-training reportedly provide medical support to the al Houthi rebels; conflict in Yemen has strained UN efforts to help internally displaced people.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab takes Qoqani from Hizb al Islam; al Shabaab issues statement forbidding the World Food Program from importing food; at least five killed and ten wounded in clashes in Mogadishu; all foreign ships ordered to leave Somali waters because of illegal fishing.
Yemen: Somalis with ties to al Houthi rebels arrested in Sa'ada; Yemeni security forces remove blockade of Sana'a-Mar'ib road; Popular Movement for Justice and Change in Taiz denounces repression of peaceful protests; al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula called most dangerous terrorist group; Yemeni tribesmen free Japanese engineer.
Horn of Africa: Clashes in Mogadishu kill over ten people; Hizb al Islam in Tayeglow in Bakool region declares partnership with al Shabaab; Ahlu Sunna Waljamaía says Hizb al Islam and al Shabaab militants are responsible for explosions; top Ethiopian military officer reportedly met with Somali government officials; African Development Bank signed $2 million grant for Somalia.
Yemen: Yemen's naval forces repel attack from al Houthi fighters; clashes erupt between Yemeni security forces and Jahm tribesmen; Takeo Mashimo, Japanese engineer, kidnapped from tribesmen by al Qaeda; Yemeni Coast Guard investigating Iranian attack on Yemeni fishermen.
Horn of Africa: African Union Troops establish new military base in Mogadishu; new clashes in the town of Kismayo, Jubba region; Al Shabaab fighter's claims to have taken control of the southern town of Afmadow; Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a security forces arrested two men suspected of terrorism; Puntland senior police official was gunned down by unidentified assailants.
Yemen: Al Houthi spokesperson denies the killing of Ali Alqatwani; sixty-eight al Houthi rebels arrested; Mohammed Abdul Salam and Hamid Badr Eddin al Houthi one in the same; Takeo Mashimo is to be released today by Yemeni tribe; rebels arrested after assassination plot against Rabbi.
Horn of Africa: Low flying planes frighten Kismayo residents; Uganda to host EU trainers to train Somali forces; Puntland President Abdirahman Mohammed Farole to play role in the creation of Somali regional states.
Yemen: Al Houthi leader killed in clashes between Yemeni security forces and al Houthi rebels; Yemeni government encourages al Houthi rebels to surrender; Yemeni Army repels assault by al Houthi rebels in Sa’ada province; anti-government elements capture fuel truck.
Horn of Africa: Two Somali speed boats are attacked by Saudi helicopter gunships; a bomb was thrown into a police checkpoint in Galkayo; Somali pirates fight amongst each other; Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a bans films and speeding in Abudwaq district.
Yemen: Yemeni government forces killed al Houthi leaders Abbas Aaida and Abu Haider; negotiations for release of Japanese engineer fall through; Yemeni children protest child abuse in northern Yemen; GCC ministers places Yemen’s security at top of agenda for December meeting.
Horn of Africa: Woman stoned to death for adultery and her boyfriend received 100 lashes; fighting erupts in Harardere, a pirate stronghold, after delivery of Spanish ransom; fighting in Mogadishu kills five, wounds eleven; a district commissioner in Mogadishu reports arrests; UN Security Council reiterates support for the Djibouti Peace Process and the African Union Mission to Somalia.
Yemen: Eritrean pirates capture Yemeni fishing vessels in the Red Sea; reports of Pakistani fighters fighting alongside al Houthi rebels; Yemen and UAE further their ties through meeting on security cooperation.
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab, Hizb al Islam and Ogaden National Liberation Front fighters clash over a strategic town; reports emerge of recruiting and training of Kenyans to fight for the Somalia government; EU deploying military trainers to bolster Somalia military.
Yemen: Tariq al Fadhli accused of cooperating with al Qaeda leader and establishing terrorist camp; Yemeni army fought al Houthi rebels near border in al Malahaidh; security forces arrested wanted man in Abyan province; tribesmen kidnap Japanese engineer north of Sana’a; Iran deploys fleet to Gulf of Aden.
Horn of Africa: TFG troops maneuver in Gedo region looking to regain control; fighting in Mogadishu between Islamists and African Union troops leaves at least seven dead; Ogaden National Liberation Front denies involvement in fighting in Lower Jubba region; meeting in Nairobi between Puntland’s president and TFG officials; reports of recruiting and training of Somalis in Kenya.
Yemen: At least seventeen injured by grenade in Hajjah province; refugees flood into UN camps; residents of Bani Hushish report the area has been surrounded by security forces; Pentagon refutes report from official Yemeni news agency that the U.S. signed a military cooperation agreement with Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al Islam appoints new administration in Hiraan; government officials mediate dispute in Galmudug region; EU to approve plan to train Somali troops; suspects in Bosasso arrested following judge's murder.
Yemen: Yemeni army continues offensive against al Houthi rebels in Sa’ada and Harf Sufyan; Yemen’s main opposition bloc calls for national dialogue to end northern conflict; security forces arrest ten in Abyan governorate; clashes between locals and security forces in Taiz governorate occur; 50 kilos of drugs seized in Hodeida governorate.
Horn of Africa: Gunmen assassinate two officials in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland; Djibouti forcibly relocates Somali refugees to Mogadishu; Spain calls for EU naval blockade of three Somali ports; Somali Transitional Government officials report cargo ship taken by pirates was carrying weapons; the Ethiopian Ogaden National Liberation Front claims victory in clashes with Ethiopian troops.
Yemen: Ministry of Defense reports at least fourteen al Houthi rebels killed in Sa’ada; Yemen stated it signed a military cooperation deal with the U.S., but U.S. will not confirm; remaining Yemeni Jews under special protection in Sana’a; investment conference in Aden begins; Yemen authorities search for U.S. imam, Anwar al Awlaki.
Horn of Africa: Somali pirates capture Greek cargo ship and Yemeni fishing boat; Hizb al Islam divided over appointment of new Hiraan administration; Transitional Federal Government soldiers arrested for banditry; Somali Prime Minister Sharmarke returns from trip seeking funds promised in April.
Yemen: Eritrea took four Yemeni fishing boats and their crew into custody, burning two other boats; Saudi Arabia to continue its offensive against the al Houthi rebels; the U.S. has said it seeks broader security cooperation with Yemen; U.S. Ambassador to Yemen discussed freedom of the press concerns with recently convicted editor-in-chief of al Masdar, Samir Jubran.
Horn of Africa: An attack on Somalia’s police chief in Galkayo injured at least sixteen; Somali businessmen deny ship captured by pirates loaded with weapons; reported agreement between legislator and Hizb al Islam official to coordinate actions in southern Somalia; Sheikh Abdurrahman Maow left Hizb al Islam for more moderate Ahlu Sunna Waljamaa; two kidnapped Kenyans freed and returned to Nairobi.
Yemen: Al Houthi rebels claim to have brought down a Yemeni Sukhoi bomber on Sunday; tribesmen blockade Sana’a-Mar’ib road seeking compensation for land seizures; Yemeni investigators report five Iranian sailors threw mobiles and laptops overboard before arrest; Yemen urged Iran to take action against Iranian-based support for the al Houthi rebels; security forces arrest 14-year old boy strapped with explosives near Sam Refugee Camp; ATM at the Saba Islamic Bank in Aden exploded.
Horn of Africa: Somali pirates seize U.A.E.-flagged cargo ship full of arms and attack Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker; Hizb al Islam executed one of its militants for murder; Ahlu Sunna Waljamaa displayed soldiers in uniform on Sunday; ten masked gunmen kidnapped four from Mogadishu market; Uganda on high-alert following report of three British nationals of Somali descent entering the country; clashes in Mogadishu kill five, injure ten; convicted rapist stoned to death in Marka in the Lower Shabelle Region.
Yemen: Saudi Arabia continues to strike rebel positions along the border; local authorities in Sa’ada offer asylum to al Houthi rebels who surrender; Yemen’s Supreme Security Committee accused the opposition of supporting the al Houthi rebels and southern separatists; six Yemeni institutions have collaborated with the Danish Institute to form a network in defense of human rights and freedoms.
Horn of Africa: Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, leader of Hizb al Islam, met with Mogadishu businessmen; fighting in Mogadishu between government forces and group wearing Somali uniforms killed at least three people, wounded nine others; former security officer killed in Bosasso, Puntland; Saudi Arabia lifts ban on Somali livestock imports.
Yemen: Saudi Arabia strikes rebel positions after a firefight with al Houthi rebels along Saudi-Yemeni border kills two Saudi security men; al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for ambush in Hadramawt province; publication of independent weekly newspaper suspended; Members of Parliament seek vote of no-confidence.
Horn of Africa: Ahlu Sunna Waljamaa convenes in Nairobi to discuss strategy against al Shabaab; blasts reported in two police stations in Bosasso, Puntland; Mogadishu port reopens; Somali pirates take three hostages from Spanish ship demanding that Spain release the two pirates in its custody.
Yemen: Yemeni forces surrounded and attacked al-Houthi positions in the old city of Sa’ada; Saudi border patrolman killed and eleven others wounded in clash with al-Houthi rebels in Saudi territory; Yemeni fisherman died from injuries after a French warship fired on his boat.
Horn of Africa: Intelligence sources put al-Qaeda leader, Najeh Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, in Somalia; Hizb al-Islam recaptured strategic town of Beledweyne; Somalis fight pirates who are holding UK couple hostage in central Somalia; workers demonstrate in Mogadishu against port closure; al-Shabaab closes women’s organizations in southern border town.
Yemen: Suspected al-Qaeda militants kill seven Yemeni security officials near Saudi border in ambush; Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi briefed U.S. and EU ambassadors on government actions to end al-Houthi conflict; Education Ministry closes three schools due to H1N1 virus; Islah condemns attack on spokesman of the Joint Meeting Parties.
Horn of Africa: Plane hijacked in Puntland; landmine in Beledweyne kills at least six; al-Shabaab prohibits UN World Food Program from distributing foodstuffs marked with American flag; Somali legislators call for reopening of Parliament; main port of Mogadishu closed.
Yemen: Al-Houthi rebels gain control of a Yemeni-Saudi border-crossing and government airstrikes hit Razeh district in northern Yemen; al-Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of aiding Yemeni forces and threaten retaliation; clashes between Islamists and security forces in Ja’ar in Abyan province kill soldier following arrest of Saeed Mohammad Munasar; Islamists attempt to free Fikri Ammorah in Ja’ar in Abyan province and hold the Deputy Governor of Abyan hostage; two journalists sentenced for libel.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab forms new wing to target Israel; roadside bombs kill a senior security official for Somaliland in contested Lascanood in Sool region; at least five high-ranking officials from the Sool administration died after hitting a landmine; in Beledweyne, three militants died while planting a roadside bomb and government troops claim to have recaptured the town.
Yemen: The Joint Meeting Parties, a coalition of Yemen's opposition parties, has demanded an end to the war in the north and repression in the south; tribal mediation ended the blockade of the Safar-Sana'a road; Yemeni Interior Minister discussed modernization of border supervision; al-Houthi rebels claim government warplane bombed civilian targets in Razeh in western Sa'ada.
Horn of Africa: Breakaway Somaliland's president called for war against al-Shabaab; fighting between Puntland forces and local businessmen in Galkao killed six, injured fifteen; bomb scare in Uganda closed down sections of Kampala-Bombo road; fighting between tribes in the Mudug region killed two, injured four.
Yemen: Six Somalis arrested in Taiz province, one of whom may have al-Qaeda ties; Iranian embassy asserts that ship seized by Yemen authorities empty; bomb detonated in mosque in central Yemen kills one, wounds five; swine flu cases reach 1,618.
Horn of Africa: Forces from Puntland and Somaliland clash in Elbuh in Sanaag region in northern Somalia; Somalia's Prime Minister warns that al-Qaeda presence in Somalia threatens regional stability; Somalia Ambassador to Uganda says al-Shabaab lacks the capacity to carry out attacks on Kampala; yacht of British couple found, but they are still missing.
Yemen: The Yemeni military has opened al-Boq'a-Khitaf-Sa'ada road; locals question government withdrawal from the Razeh district in Sa'ada province; Yemeni Minister of Finance met with an International Monetary Fund delegation; government spokesman Hassan al-Louzi confirmed arrest of five Iranians.
Horn of Africa: Heavy fighting in Mogadishu between Islamists and AU forces took place as the president returned from Yemen; seven Somali pirates have been detained on a German naval vessel after shooting at a French fishing boat; Puntland authorities arrested traditional elder; South African paper reports Somali-based threats on 2010 World Cup.
Yemen: Yemeni authorities confiscated a boatload of Iranian-made weapons and arrested members of the vessel's crew; the trial of ten members from Bani Husheish began Tuesday; public and private hospitals in Yemen are turning away H1N1 cases.
Horn of Africa: Somalia's Transitional Federal Government established a military court to prosecute soldiers; Uganda and Burundi have increased security efforts in response to al-Shabaab's threats; al-Shabaab has stated that it will only enter mediation efforts based on shari'a; a British couple and their yacht have disappeared in the Gulf of Aden.
Yemen: Trial of MP Yahya al-Houthi begins in absentia; two soldiers killed and three wounded during attack by armed gunmen in al-Dhale; twenty-one al-Houthi rebels killed and twelve arrested in Sa’ada and Amran; gunmen blocked Ma’rib road demanding release of arms from ship that is under investigation by Parliament; Yemeni president met with American ambassador to Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab militants publicly execute to men accused of espionage in Merca; Hizb al-Islam accuses Somali journalists of being aligned with the government; Djibouti claims Eritrea supports Somali Islamist insurgents; at least three dead and twenty wounded during shelling of Sug Ba’ad in Mogadishu; Kenya admits to training of Somali police officers for the Transitional Federal Government.
Yemen: Security forces in Taiz arrest members of the new “Popular Movement for Justice and Change”; MP’s accuse figures tied to regime of involvement in arms trafficking as ship reportedly with Chinese-made weapons anchors off coast of Hodeida; around 200 Somali refugees reach Yemeni coast; Reporters Without Borders ranks Yemen 167 out of 175 in Press Freedom Index.
Horn of Africa: Somali Transitional Federal Government and al-Shabaab declare escalation of operations; African leaders ratify convention on internally-displaced persons; advanced U.S. military drones to patrol off Somali coast for pirates.
Yemen: Yemen intensifies security along coast to prevent smuggling; clashes reported between Yemenis and Saudi forces over border fence
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab attacks Mogadishu airport; Hizb al-Islam chairman said fighting to continue until Somalia has Islamic government; Islamist fighting near Kismayo kills twelve
Yemen: President Ali Abdullah Saleh discussed security threats to Yemen; 52 al-Houthi rebels and six soldiers were killed in battle in Sa’ada province; Yemen turned over documentary evidence to Iran showing clerical involvement in northern conflict.
Horn of Africa: Fighting broke out in Kismayo between al-Shabaab and Hizb al-Islam; al-Shabaab closed two radio stations in central Somalia; Somali military confirms that soldiers are being trained in Kenya and other nearby countries; the Ogaden National Liberation Front declared victory over Ethiopian government troops and denied the surrender of top leaders.
Yemen: A surprise rebel-attack on an airport where arms are stored killed at least 80, primarily soldiers, in Razeh; Yemen denies Saudi involvement in northern conflict; Yemeni court sentences ten al-Houthi rebels to death, five to fifteen-year prison term; Yemen’s Foreign Minister announced willingness of government to participate in conditional talks.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab downs U.S. drone over Kismayo; Somali president calls for national dialogue; AU vehicle hit by landmine in Mogadishu; Somali pirates threaten to execute Chinese sailors.
Yemen: 44 al-Houthi rebels killed in air strikes near Saudi border; three Lebanese reportedly killed in northern Yemen; six Yemenis arrested by Saudi authorities in connection to al-Qaeda; twelve al-Houthi rebels sentenced in Yemen; President Saleh accuses al-Houthi rebels of receiving Iranian support.
Horn of Africa: Ethiopian troops reported to have withdrawn from key town in western Somalia; Somalis in Kenya say al-Shabaab recruits from Somali youth there; leader of Ogaden National Liberation Front surrenders to Ethiopian authorities leading to confiscation of explosives; al-Shabaab bans international aid agencies from regions it controls; Somali Prime Minister expected to reorganize Cabinet shortly.
Yemen: World Bank pledges $480 million over four years to Yemen for development; tribal chiefs call for government reinforcement against the al-Houthi rebels; Egypt to send assistance to Yemen in military plane.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab enforces strict Shari'a law in Mogadishu; al-Shabaab attacks AMISOM bases in Mogadishu; clashes occur between al-Shabaab and pro-government Ahlu Sunna Waljamaa in central Somalia; in Bakool, government soldiers gain control of Burdhuhle village; the Transitional Federal Government responds to South African allegations of Somalis planning terrorist attacks.
Yemen: Outlaws sever cable in Abyan province; weekly sit-in held in “Freedom Square” to demand rights; commencement of food and humanitarian aid deliveries to al-Ehsa camp.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab and Hizb al-Islam militants clash in Mogadishu; AU denies shelling of Bakara Market; Taliban fighters from Yemen reportedly join al-Shabaab; Interpol declares Somali piracy “organized crime.”
Yemen: Saleh promises victory over al-Houthis in north while al-Beidh calls for southern independence; al-Houthi rebels execute two and kidnap nine in the northern Razeh district; independent weekly newspaper, al-Masdar, banned from publishing; nine Somali pirates apprehended by Yemeni authorities in the Thubab coastal area.
Horn of Africa: Mogadishu clashes kill at least seven people; al-Shabaab militants arrest and lash over 200 Somali women for not veiling; over 13,000 Somali refugees transferred to new Kenyan camp.
Yemen: Germany warns Yaha al-Houthi against undertaking anti-government activities; Abdul Malik al-Houthi asserts possibility of northern secession; UNHCR convoy distributes humanitarian assistance to 2,000; Yemeni government asks Sa’ada province citizens to relocate to camps.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab controls areas of Mogadishu formerly under Hizb al-Islam; Sufi Islamist group Ahlu Sunna Waljama seizes explosive-filled vehicle in central Somalia; French repel pirate attack on tuna trawlers.
Yemen: Abdul Malik al-Houthi expressed readiness for national dialogue; Yemeni army attacks pockets of resistance near Sa’ada city; Germany announces humanitarian aid donation to Yemen; thirteen have died from swine flu as the number of cases rises to 921.
Horn of Africa: Kenyan police arrest American entering Somalia; al-Shabaab amputated hand and foot from convicted thieves in Kismayo; Hizb al-Islam attacked government outpost in Hiraan; Mogadishu’s port closed five consecutive days due to dispute; France to train additional 3,000 Somali soldiers.
Yemen: Al-Houthi rebels attacked Sa'ada city and shelled the town of Harf Sufyan; Yemeni authorities increase security to prevent entry of Somali jihadists; U.S. acknowledges possible Iranian involvement with the al-Houthi rebels and says there is no place for outsiders in the conflict.
Horn of Africa: A senior member of Hizb al-Islam was gunned down in Mogadishu; Somali police warn against future attacks on peacekeepers; Puntland condemns Ethiopian raid into Galkayo; Somali Prime Minister meets with the UN official to discuss reopening of UN offices in Mogadishu and AU troops.
Yemen: Al-Houthi rebels claim control over northern-most district of the Sa’ada governorate; Egypt authorized by Arab League to assist Yemen; Yemen’s Parliament calls for end to insurgency.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al-Islam fighters set up new base in Elgal village, previously occupied by government troops; agreement reached by al-Shabaab and Hizb al-Islam over Kismayo; Medina hospital in Mogadishu receives threats from Islamists; Russia agrees to help France train Somali soldiers in Djibouti.
Yemen: Yemeni army kills forty-one al-Houthi rebels and destroys five trucks carrying explosives; Riyadh expresses concern over al-Qaeda's presence in Yemen; al-Houthi's son participates in blood donation drive to help soldiers fighting the al-Houthi rebels.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab announces agreement with Hizb al-Islam to end dispute; Uganda mistakenly arrests Somali official; Hizb al-Islam announces capture of foreign fighters; Somali pirates mistakenly attacked French flagship.
Yemen: Local mediation efforts between the government and al-Houthi rebels may be underway; Southern Movement supporters demonstrate in southern provinces during talks between Arab League and Yemeni government; a large explosion went off in Abyan province near military brigade; second Yemeni fighter plane down in north; Yemeni authorities confiscate ammunitions.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al-Islam claims victory in southern towns outside of Kismayo; warplanes spotted flying low over Mogadishu; hijacked Spanish tuna trawler still in pirates’ custody; Somali president says solution to country’s problems “easy.”
Yemen: Police arrest al-Houthi rebels in western province of Hodeida; five injured in southern Yemen during protests and al-Houthi rebels release video of downed plane; head mediator between the government and al-Houthi rebels on top of government weapons dealers blacklist; President Saleh met with Admiral William McRaven to discuss partnership against al-Qaeda.
Horn of Africa: Clashes broke out between al-Shabaab and Hizb al-Islam in southern Somalia; in Mogadishu, al-Shabaab imposes strict rules; a member of Hizb al-Islam’s administration was assassinated in Beledweyn; FBI warns that al-Shabaab may attack U.S.; the EU suspended delivery of funds to AU.
Yemen: Yemeni military denies al-Houthi claims of shooting down MiG 21; the government arrested 24 al-Houthi rebels, including one from Yemen’s most wanted list; two men arrested in connection with failed assassination attempt in south; Civil Defense delegation to attend a disaster management symposium in Riyadh.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al-Islam imposes curfew in Beledweyn; Puntland bans broadcast of the VOA Somalia Service; the U.S. withholds aid from Somalia following concerns that aid is funneled to al-Shabaab; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed appealed for increased support from the U.S. during first visit to Washington, DC.
Yemen: Southern Movement leader Tariq al-Fadhli has been accused by the government of involvement in an assassination attempt; nineteen injured and one killed in clashes in al-Dhale in southern Yemen; Ministry of Defense reports twenty-eight al-Houthi rebels killed, eleven arrested in north; Somali refugees continue to arrive in Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Fighting between Hizb al-Islam and al-Shabaab has broken out in Kismayo; two beheaded bodies found in Mogadishu; Uganda appeals for change in AMISOM mandate; agreement signed in Somaliland to end election crisis; Ahmed Ould-Abdallah, UN Special Envoy for Somalia, publishes open letter to diaspora.
Yemen: Al-Qaeda’s Yemeni wing looks for financial support in Saudi Arabia; two wanted Saudi militants killed in fighting in the north; southern clashes in al-Dale and Lahj provinces leave nineteen injured; Saudi Arabia gives $2 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Residents of Kismayo flee impending violence after al-Shabaab declares war on Hizb al-Islam; government troops withdraw from recently re-occupied Beledweyne; military spokesman asserts that AU peacekeeping forces are not behind the shelling of Mogadishu bazaar; IDP’s protest closure of WFP feeding centers in Bosaso.
Yemen: The Yemeni military continues to attack al-Houthi rebel positions in the north; fighting between southern separatists and security forces continues in Abyan province; Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Muthana appealed for increased assistance from the international community for Somali refugees; trial of Somali pirates opened in Yemen.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al-Islam and al-Shabaab continue to argue over the administration of Kismayo and move troops into the city; the OIC appealed to the UN Security Council for a UN peacekeeping presence in Somalia and the closure of Somalia’s seaports; Germany will back France’s efforts to train Somali soldiers in Djibouti; shelling in Mogadishu kills at least eleven people and injures over thirty more.
Yemen: Security forces clash with southern separatists in Abyan province; Abdul Malik al-Houthi releases statement vowing to continue the fight; seven Somalis arrested for fighting in support of al-Houthi rebels.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab publicly executes two men accused of spying in Mogadishu; government troops regain control over Beledweyne; President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed blamed foreign extremists for the rebellion at the UN General Assembly; the FBI is investigating whether an American was one of the suicide bombers in the attack against the AU base.
Yemen: Over seventy people have died in Sa’ada city during intense fighting; a military source reports offensive gains by Yemeni army against al-Houthi rebels; UNHCR approves of Yemeni report on human rights.
Horn of Africa: Somali, Ugandan, and Burundi officials meet to discuss AU peacekeeping mission; fighting erupts between government forces and Hizb al-Islam fighters in Mogadishu; UNHCR report reviews plight of Somalis; Somali pirates attack ship near Mogadishu harbor.
Yemen: Officials announce capture of two al-Houthi rebel leaders and rebels release video of captured Yemeni soldiers; the United States calls for ceasefire and pledges additional $3 million in humanitarian assistance; the World Food Program releases report saying that one in three Yemenis face extreme hunger; Yemeni press members protest most recent arrest of a journalist.
Horn of Africa: Hizb al-Islam denounces creation of new administration in Kismayo appointed by al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab and Hizb al-Islam disagree over administration of Gedo region; governor of Beledweyne announces that he is joining Hizb al-Islam; al-Shabaab militants execute Christians under Shari’a law.
Yemen: Local source reports mutiny within al-Houthi ranks; 50 al-Houthi rebels killed during attacks in Almalaheez and Manbeh; supplies in refugee camps in Sa’ada region running out; Yemeni police seize large quantities of fuel destined for al-Houthi rebels.
Horn of Africa: Ugandan president calls for U.S. support of AMISOM troops; fighting between government and AU soldiers and Islamist rebels in Mogadishu kills at least ten civilians; Somali government declares presence of Eritrean officers in key southern coastal town of Kismayo; Kenya increases security forces along Somali border; UN envoy requests creation of high-security green zone in Mogadishu.
Yemen: Al-Houthi rebels ask for independently monitored ceasefire; government forces kill 13 al-Houthi rebels outside of Aal Oqab in Sa’ada; UN Refugee Agency appeals for aid corridor; Yemeni Minister of Human Rights will participate in 12th session of the Human Rights Council.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab proclaims allegiance to bin Laden in video; U.S. reiterates support for the AU mission in Somalia; Ethiopian ONLF denies any cooperation with al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab establishes new administrative system with cooperation of clan elders in Middle Shabelle region.
Yemen: The Eid al-Fitr ceasefire between the al-Houthi rebels and the government ended with a coordinated rebel attack on the presidential palace in Sa’ada; Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs Rashad al-Alimi discussed the logistics of aid distribution; report says nearly one-third of the population is below the poverty line; spread of swine flu causes health concern; 160 Ethiopians to be deported from Taiz governorate.
Horn of Africa: Al-Shabaab attacked the border town of