Yesterday, Seatrade reported that private maritime security company Gulf of Aden Group Transits issued a warning to worldwide shipping, following the UK Government's level 3 alert to shipping, unprecedented since 2004.
Today, Rajeh Badi, a spokesman for the Yemeni government, said that Al-Qaeda members dressed as soldiers would attempt to take control of ports in Mukala and Bawzeer, gas facilities in Shebwa city and a gas pipe in Belhaf city, according to a BBC report.
The plot, discovered through the interception of communications between nominal leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and the leader of Al-Qaeda’s Yemeni cell Nasser al-Wuhayshi, was understood to be retaliation for the killing of prominent member Said al-Shihri in November. Meanwhile, four CIA drone strikes have taken place over the past 10 days.
Embassy and consulates were evacuated and armed forces have been scrambled to protect strategic locations including embassies, government offices and airports.
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