Aden (South24)

Today, the Southern Forces announced that a Houthi cell was arrested at a military checkpoint north of the capital city Aden.

The Security Belt Forces said that a cell consisting of 3 members, who came from Sanaa, was arrested at Al-Rabat security checkpoint located at the main entrance of Aden.

According to the statement, the cell members confessed to working for the Houthis and receiving support from them, and extreme religious slogans were found in their possession and contacts of senior Houthi officials.

The three arrested individuals are rooted from Saada governorate, the main stronghold of the Houthis, from which Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi hails, according to the official "Southern Shield" website.

The security services in Aden had accused the Houthis and the pro-Islah Yemeni Transport Brigade of carrying out and financing bombings and assassinations in Aden during 2021/2022.

Related: Aden: Explosive Car Seized While Coming from Taiz 

In 2022, prominent Southern officials were subjected to assassination attempts, some of which succeeded including the assassination of Major General Thabet Jawas by a car bomb on March 23, 2021.

Related: South Yemen: Prominent Southern Military Commander Killed by an Explosive Car 

In a related context, the command of Abyan Military Axis said that a "conspiratorial scheme" had been thwarted in the governorate, after limited clashes in Abyan capital city Zinjibar.

The statement said that the decision of Yemeni Interior Minister Ibrahim Haidan to appoint staff for the special security forces in Abyan almost caused a crisis in the governorate.

According to the statement, the clashes were contained at the headquarters of the Special Forces in Zinjibar, without causing causalities. 

On February 2, the Yemeni Minister of Interior issued a decision appointing Lieutenant Awad Al-Fadhli as Chief of Staff of the Special Security Forces in Abyan.

The decision was rejected by the Abyan Security Director Brigadier General Mishaal Al-Kazmi, and the command of Abyan Military Axis. It also caused a split within the Special Security Forces.

For months, the Southern Forces have been carrying out continuous operations to confront AQAP in the central regions of Abyan.