Life Returns To Aden: Thanks To Its Security Forces
Nearly four years since the Houthi rebels were pushed out, life in Aden is returning to normal.
While much work is still needed in terms of rebuilding Aden, the security situation has improved greatly.
After Aden was liberated from the Iran-backed Houthis in July 2015, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Islamic State Yemen (ISY) took advantage of the collapse of the government and overran Aden. By December 2015, AQAP/ISY were in control of the districts of Tawahi, Crater, Khormaksar, Mansoura, and Buraiqah. The port city was gripped by fear as assassinations, suicide attacks, and car bombs (VBIEDs) took place daily. The main targets of assassinations and suicide attacks were security members and government institutions.
On Sunday, August 30, 2015 — a little over one month since Houthi-Saleh forces were pushed out, Aden witnessed two remarkable developments that bore the hallmarks of Al-Qaeda, the first of which was the assassination of the director of Aden’s security operations, Brigadier Abdul Hakim Al-Sunaidi. Hours later, a Southern Resistance and Southern Movement (Hirak) leader, Hamdi Al-Shatiri Al-Yafai was assassinated. An…
