Gulf Of Aden Safety Overview – August 24, 2022

Yemen: STC launches army operation focusing on Yemeni Army in Abyan governorate; Yemeni President orders STC to stop army operations; STC commanders declare to regulate Abyan governorate totally; pro-South media accuses Islah of collaborating with the Houthis to assault the South; Ali Mohsen al Ahmar-funded newspaper claims STC goals to stage a coup towards the PLC

Somalia: Turkish-trained Gorgor particular forces clear al Shabaab from villages in central Somalia; SNA forces safe extra villages in central Somalia

Yemen Safety Transient:

Southern Transitional Council (STC) President Aydarus al Zubaidi introduced Operation Arrows of the East in Abyan governorate, southern Yemen, on August 22. Zubaidi’s order referred to as for the 4^th Navy Area, Protection Ministry, Joint Operations Abyan, the Abyan Navy Axis, and Joint Coalition Forces 802 to “safe the governorate and its residents from terrorist acts.”[i] Southern media mentioned the operation seeks to “purify Abyan of terrorist organizations, take away the specter of the Houthi and Brotherhood reference to al Qaeda, strengthen the safety of Aden and the South, and defend roads linking varied southern governorates.”[ii]

Yemeni President Rashad al Alimi ordered the Protection and Inside Ministries to stop all army operations in Abyan till army forces in Abyan met 4 calls for on August 22.[iii] The calls for had been redeployments of army items in Abyan in accordance with the Riyadh Settlement, amassing intelligence on the exercise of terrorist teams in Abyan, submitting a plan for the operation to the “supreme commander” for approval, and coordination with coalition joint operations. The STC-ordered army operations didn’t stop.[iv]

The commander of the STC-backed Abyan Navy Axis claimed that the STC is accountable for Abyan governorate on August 24.[v] Native sources claimed that STC-backed forces captured the coastal highway and Shoqra, Abyan governorate after an settlement with Yemeni Army forces led to the Yemeni Army’s withdrawal from the world.[vi] The STC Nationwide Meeting president mentioned on August 24 that the STC’s “subsequent development” might be to “restore” Hadramawt and Mahra.[vii]

Professional-South media claimed that the Houthis and Islah officers met in Ma’rib governorate, central Yemen to debate the creation of a joint operations room to assault the South in an article revealed on August 23.[viii] The report claimed that the Houthis and Islah would activate sleeper cells to conduct assaults in Aden. It additionally mentioned the Houthis would assault Abyan, Lahij, and Dhaleh governorates whereas Islah-backed forces attacked Shabwah governorate. Southern media framed Operation Arrows of the East as preempting this effort.

The editor-in-chief of a newspaper funded by former Yemeni Vice President and Islah powerbroker Ali Mohsen al Ahmar claimed on August 23 that the STC is making an attempt to stage a coup towards the Presidential Management Council.[ix]

Somalia Safety Transient:

Gorgor Special Forces cleared al Shabaab from a number of villages roughly 20 miles east of Beledweyne, Hiraan area, central Somalia, on August 22.[x] The Gorgor Third battalion claimed they killed at the least 60 al Shabaab troopers, together with a number of officers.

The SNA 27^th division secured a number of villages roughly 20 miles west of Beledweyne, Hiraan area, central Somalia, on August 24.[xi] SNA officers mentioned troopers took the villages with none combating.

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