Aden Introduces New Security Measures to Confront Threats, Terrorism

The governor of Aden chairs a security meeting on Sunday. (Saba)
The governor of Aden chairs a security meeting on Sunday. (Saba)
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Aden Introduces New Security Measures to Confront Threats, Terrorism

The governor of Aden chairs a security meeting on Sunday. (Saba)
The governor of Aden chairs a security meeting on Sunday. (Saba)

The supreme security committee in Yemen's interim capital Aden held on Sunday an emergency meeting and decided to take measures to confront possible acts of terror and sabotage.

At the meeting, chaired by Aden Governor Ahmed Lamlas, security measures were passed that include establishing an operations room and integrated electronic surveillance network in all districts and committing stores to install security camera systems.

They come amid increasing threats since the new government arrived in the city some two weeks ago. Upon its arrival at Aden International Airport, the war-torn country’s newly formed government was targeted by deadly blasts, but none of the ministers was harmed.

The government accused the Iran-backed Houthi militias of carrying out the attack, which received widespread local and international condemnation.

Sunday’s meeting approved more measures including restrictions on the movement of security patrols, including preventing the deployment of security patrols to parks and prohibiting non-state patrols.

Lamlas urged boosting the security to face acts of sabotage aimed at obstructing the return of foreign diplomatic missions and targeting international organizations.

“It is imperative to stand seriously in front of these acts, tracking down perpetrators, apprehending them and holding them accountable,” he stressed.

The governor also wished newly-appointed Aden police chief Maj. Gen. Mutahar Al-Shuaibi success in fulfilling his duties, and reaffirmed the local authority's full support for the entire security apparatus.

Highlighting the need for security units and police stations to assume their responsibilities, Lamlas called for activating the roles of investigation departments intelligence services in general.

He made a point that the “Aden security apparatus is not to blame for the cowardly terrorist attack that targeted the new government.”

The security committee approved a number of measures to enhance the security situation in the directorates of the interim capital.

It decided on limiting the movement of military personnel and vehicles outside official security tasks, and preventing their presence in parks and public venues.



Syrian Opposition Leader Says Lebanon Truce Opened Door to Aleppo Assault

An anti-regime fighter tears off a poster depicting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and his brother Maher at the airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on December 2, 2024. (AFP)
An anti-regime fighter tears off a poster depicting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and his brother Maher at the airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on December 2, 2024. (AFP)
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Syrian Opposition Leader Says Lebanon Truce Opened Door to Aleppo Assault

An anti-regime fighter tears off a poster depicting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and his brother Maher at the airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on December 2, 2024. (AFP)
An anti-regime fighter tears off a poster depicting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and his brother Maher at the airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on December 2, 2024. (AFP)

Syrian opposition fighters began preparations to seize Aleppo a year ago, but the operation was delayed by war in Gaza and ultimately launched last week when a ceasefire took hold in Lebanon, the head of Syria's main opposition abroad told Reuters.

The factions were able to seize the city and parts of neighboring Idlib province so quickly in part because Hezbollah and other Iran-backed fighters were distracted by their conflict with Israel, Hadi al-Bahra said in an interview on Monday.

The Turkish military, which is allied with some of the opposition and has bases across its southern border in Syria, had heard of the armed groups' plans but made clear it would play no direct role, he added.

The assault in northwestern Syria was launched last Wednesday, the day that Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah began a truce ending more than a year of fighting.

"A year ago they started really training and mobilizing and taking it more seriously," said Bahra, president of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, the internationally-recognized Syrian opposition.

"But the war on Gaza ... then the war in Lebanon delayed it. They felt it wouldn't look good having the war in Lebanon at the same time they were fighting in Syria," he said in his Istanbul office, in the first public comments on the fighters’ preparations by an opposition figure.

"So the moment there was a ceasefire in Lebanon, they found that opportunity ... to start."

The opposition operation is the boldest advance and biggest challenge to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020.

Syrian and allied Russian forces have launched counter attacks, which Bahra said are "destabilizing" Aleppo and Idlib and pose the biggest risk to civilians, given the earlier opposition advances had sought carefully to avoid such casualties.

IRAN, RUSSIA

The opposition retaking of Aleppo also paves the way for hundreds of thousands of Syrians displaced elsewhere in the country and in Türkiye to return home, Bahra said.

"Due to the Lebanese war and decrease in Hezbollah forces, (Assad's) regime has less support," he said, adding Iranian militias also have less resources while Russia is giving less air cover due to its "Ukraine problem".

Damascus, which is also backed by Iran, did not immediately comment on whether the opposition sought to avoid casualties and whether it risks destabilizing the region with air raids. Assad has vowed to crush the fighters and has launched air raids.

Iran-backed Hezbollah did not immediately comment on whether its war with Israel opened the door to Syrian opposition advances in Aleppo, where it also has personnel.

Tehran has pledged to aid the Syrian government and on Monday hundreds of fighters from Iran-backed Iraqi militias crossed into Syria to help fight the factions, Syrian and Iraqi sources said.

A Turkish defense ministry official said last week that Ankara was closely monitoring the mobilization and taking precautions for its troops.

The opposition fighters are a coalition of Türkiye-backed mainstream secular armed groups spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group that has been designated a terrorist outfit by Türkiye, the US, Russia and other states.

Bahra's coalition, which does not include HTS, represents anti-Assad groups including the Türkiye-backed Syrian National Army or Free Syrian Army, which took territory north of Idlib over the last week.

It holds regular diplomatic talks with the United Nations and several states.