Aden (South24)

Yesterday, the Southern Transitional Council (STC)-affiliated Security Belt Forces disclosed new confessions indicating Houthi involvement in funding a terrorist cell responsible for a series of deadly attacks in the city of Aden in recent years.

The confessions came from Abdullah Abdullatif Al-Yamani, an arrested member of the terrorist cell. In a video released by Aden Independent Channel (AIC), Al-Yamani stated that the cell, headquartered in the city of Al-Turbah in Taiz Governorate, operates under the leadership of Amjad Khaled, commander of the Yemeni Transport Brigade, who was sentenced to death in absentia by the judiciary in Aden.

According to Al-Yamani, the cell receives $100,000 monthly from the Houthi group, funneled through representatives based in Houthi-controlled Sanaa. The funds allegedly support bombings and assassinations targeting military and civilian officials linked to the STC in Aden.

The confessions also included details about Amjad Khaled's repeated visits to the Sultanate of Oman.

Al-Yamani claimed that the cell is also active in Seiyun, Hadramout Governorate, exploiting the presence of the Yemeni government's First Military District forces. He detailed the role of Nazih Al-Azibi, Amjad Khaled's deputy and the cell’s second-in-command, in orchestrating terrorist acts.

The confessions highlighted a failed January 2023 assassination attempt targeting Major General Mohsen Marsea Al-Kazmi, commander of the Al-Ghaydah Military Axis in Al-Mahrah Governorate, when the Major General was visiting Aden. Al-Yamani was reportedly arrested while attempting to drive a car bomb at one of Aden's entrances.

Al-Yamani also admitted involvement in other major assassination attempts, including the June 2022 bombing in Aden’s Khormaksar district, which targeted former Lahj Security Director Saleh Al-Sayed. The large explosion caused several casualties.

The confessions were corroborated by testimonies of other terrorist suspects, and linked the cell to the assassination of military commander Thabet Jawas in March 2022 with a car bomb, and the attempted assassination of Aden Governor Ahmed Lamlas. The group was also implicated in October 2021 bombing near Aden International Airport.

In May 2024, an Aden court issued a death sentence in absentia against Amjad Khaled and six of his associates, after convicting them for their roles in the attempted assassination of the Aden Governor and the airport, which killed 11 people and injured nearly 30, most of whom were civilians.

Amjad Khaled fled Aden in August 2019 following clashes with STC forces that led to the expulsion of Islamic Islah Party-affiliated forces from Aden and Lahj.