Gulf of Aden Security Review

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 Security Review

• Security authorities report that around two-hundred al Houthi rebels have been arrested in the old city of Sa’ada over the past few days.[1]

• A Somali diplomat, Hussein Haji Ahmed, said that Somali refugees have been forced to participate in the al Houthi rebellion at gunpoint.  Both Yemen and Saudi Arabia have alleged that Somalis are involved with the al Houthi rebels.[2] 

• The Saudi intelligence service has established a station in Sana’a to help coordinate the military offensive against the al Houthi rebels.  Reportedly, however, the main task of the station is to hunt down Yemen-based al Qaeda operatives.  The intelligence operation has been in place since June.[3] 

• Abu Dhabi announced that it will be giving a $650 million grant to Yemen to finance energy, housing, healthcare and infrastructure projects.[4]

Horn of Africa Security Review

• A senior leader of al Shabaab has denied the rumor that Fadel Abdullah, a senior al Qaeda leader, had taken over for Sheikhe Abdul Rahman Abu Zubayr.  An audio message broadcast by local media on the second day of Eid al Adha was the last time Abu Zubayr has been heard from publicly, and it is reported that it is unlikely he will release something soon due to security concerns and political reasons.[5]

• Witnesses report that Ethiopian troops arrested ten elders in Mustahil town in Hiraan.  It is unclear as to why the elders were taken in, though there is speculation that it is related to their efforts to free a group of teenagers jailed by the Ethiopians.[6]

• President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed appointed former Somali police chief, General Abdi Hassan Awale, as Minister of Water and Mines.  The former Minister of Water and Mines, Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar, was named the Minister of Higher Education.  President Sheikh Sharif has had to reshuffle his cabinet in order to fill in the vacancies left after the Shamo Hotel suicide bombing.[7]

• At least two people died and seven others were injured in clashes between two rival clan militias in Ba’adweyne in Mudug.  Eyewitnesses report that the fighting began after the clans disputed claims to a borehole.[8]

• Hundreds of people demonstrated against planned killings and explosions in Bossaso in Puntland.  Protesters carried large signs with slogans against the people from the south, whom most believe are responsible for the attacks.[9]