Security briefing 01042018

UN ENVOY:Martin Griffin

UN special envoy Martin Griffiths was set to meet Houthi leaders and members of the party of ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh . He also reportedly met with Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi on 28 March.

* Martin Griffiths said ''Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi responded critically to ongoing international efforts to renew diplomatic dialogue. “We do not have currently any indications of a serious approach by international sides

towards a political solution” , adding, “there are possible plans for political movements as a cosmetic process to cover the ugly face of the UN

whose role has been limited to providing cover for the aggression and trying to

legitimise and justify it”.

Missiles to KSA

Missiles to KSA

Day after the envoy’s arrival, pro-Houthi forces launched a barrage of missiles on Saudi Arabia to mark the third anniversary of the start of the Saudi-led

coalition’s military intervention in Yemen on 25 March.

*Despite the missile attack, Al-Maliki stated the coalition would continue to support UN-led political talks based on the three frameworks of the Gulf Initiative, the NDC outcomes and UNSC Resolution 2216.

The third anniversary of the war

Sanaa's Al-Sabaeen Square can be seen crowded with tens of thousands of people, carrying Yemeni flags and posters, bearing pictures of Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi or the slogan "three years of aggression."

Prime minister Ahmed bin Dhagr

Hadi’s Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dhagr gave an interview to Sharq Al-Awsat on 27 March in which he said that a joint leadership of a reformed GPC would be formed with the son of the former president, Ahmed Ali Saleh, in a leadership role. He called on the international community to lift

sanctions against Saleh, who was sanctioned by the Security Council at a time when he was still part of the pro-Houthi alliance in Sana’a. The GPC is in practice divided, with a section in Sana’a nominally loyal to the authorities there.

UNOCHA

UNOCHA reported that the shortage of cooking gas in the north of the country entered its second month. As a result, gas is retailing at about YER 8,000 per 20-litre cylinder compared to about YER 5,000 three weeks ago. The official price is YER 3,000 per cylinder. However, in Sa’ada, black

market gas reportedly costs YER 8,000-10,000 per cylinder. In the south, fuel shortages are reported following the break-up of an earlier import monopoly.

Sana'a

The level of fighting in Nihm in north-eastern Sana’a dipped compared to recent weeks, but pro-Houthi forces claimed to retake sites recently captured by anti-Houthi groups in the contested district.

Haja'a

Daily rounds of airstrikes continued in the north-west of Hajja. The intensity of

the air raids was largely in line with recent weeks and concentrated in Harad and

Midi districts near the Saudi border. The situation on the ground was quiet.

Sa'adah

Sa’ada was again the most heavily bombed governorate in the country. The

airstrikes were concentrated in districts along the Yemen-Saudi border, especially Baqim, Razih and Kitaf, where the bombing reportedly hit civilian vehicles, houses and farms, as well as the positions of pro-Houthi fighters.

Al-Hudaydah

There were limited armed clashes in Al-Hudaydah, where the offensive by coalition-backed forces has halted for the time being in Hays district. However,an exchange of shelling between pro- and anti-Houthi forces reportedly hit the Hays hospital , killing a doctor and wounding four civilians. Although fighting has slowed, the intensity of airstrikes on the governorate remained high,

primarily in the southern districts of Zabid, Hays, Al-Tuhayat, Al-Garrahi and Bayt Al-Faqih.

Aden

In Aden, the reporting period saw several more small-scale security incidents.

These included the killing of a security guard at the faculty of arts in Khor Maksar by IS militants on 27 March. A mosque imam in Al-Mansura was shot dead and the imam of the Al-Dhuhaibi mosque in Crater was reportedly kidnapped on 28 March. One civilian and five soldiers were reportedly killed in an IED explosion near the Al-Kara’a market in Dar Sad on 23 March.

Taiz

Three personnel were injured in an explosion that took place at the vicinity of a restaurant in At-turbah city, Thursday March 29, 2018 . Unknown personnel planted an IED underneath a military vehicle (Toyota- single cab land cruiser) owned by the special security forces. The explosion took place in a crowded area at the vicinity of restaurants and Qat market.

Lahj

Fighting intensified in the north of Lahj this week as anti-Houthi forces made a

push in Al-Qabbaytah district towards the border with Taiz. They reportedly

captured numerous sites along the main road running from Al-Anad to Taiz city,

moving from Krish area into Al-Huwaymi and then to Shurayjah area as

they head towards Rahidah in Dimnat Khadir.