A/HRC/42/CRP.1 Transitional Council and United Arab Emirates. The Group had not completed investigations into the latest re-emergence of targeted killings by the time of writing. 255. The Group of Experts investigated a sample of 10 individual cases of alleged assassination or attempted assassination, including one case in 2015, two in 2017, six in 2018 and one in 2019, focusing on the series of assassinations of religious leaders. The cases targeting religious leaders consisted of one case in 2015, two in 2017, and seven in 2018. 349 (a) Summary of evidence 256. In the period from the end of the fighting in Aden in August 2015 until mid-2016, the security situation in Aden was unstable. AQAP and the Islamic State were reported to still be active. The 46 reported assassinations between 6 December 2015 and 9 February 2017 included a series of eight assassinations of notable religious leaders over eight months between 4 January 2016 and 15 August 2016. The first reported assassination was that of the then Governor of Aden, Ja’afar Sa’ad, in December 2015. The Islamic State publicly claimed responsibility for Sa’ad’s assassination, however the perpetrators were never identified. Ja’afar Sa’ad was replaced as governor by Aidarous al-Zubaidi, who had already been selected for the post prior to Ja’afar’s killing.350 257. From the end of 2015 the Security Belt and the United Arab Emirates started to exert greater security control in Aden after they had substantially reduced AQAP and Islamic State influence.351 This coincided with the establishment of the Southern Transitional Council, which immediately started to openly challenge government authority. 258. Public statements by Shallal Ali Shaye and Hani Bin Breik clarified their positions. In November 2016, Shallal Ali Shaye made a televised broadcast threatening to end alIslah’s presence in Aden.352 On 10 December 2016, Hani Bin Breik posted a message on his official Twitter account encouraging the “cleansing of mosques from criminal thinking” and stating, “a strict firm stance must take place.” 353 259. On 1 February 2017, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, Hani Bin Breik, and Shallal Ali Shaye broadcast a joint video stating that al-Islah were dangerous ‘outsiders’ who have done a disservice to religion and “deserve no mercy.” 354 On 6 May 2017, Security Belt forces burnt down the al-Islah headquarters in Aden. 355 On 7 July 2017 Aidarous al-Zubaidi reportedly made a public speech in which he announced the banning of the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ along with other “terrorist organisations” from southern governorates, and stated, “we will take the necessary steps towards achieving this.”356 On 12 or 13 October 2017, Security Belt forces raided the al-Islah headquarters in Aden, which they continued to occupy at the time of writing.357 On 13 October 2017 Shallal Ali Shaye made a televised 349 The Group conducted 48 interviews including 33 with victims and witnesses; examined eight secondary sources; interviewed three witnesses who were former Security Belt or Resistance members whom the United Arab Emirates attempted to coerce into conducting assassinations for them; and interviewed five victims and witnesses of threats to kill from the relevant parties. The Group examined 78 separate items of scene, photographic and documentary evidence, as well as open source material, reports, and video, audio and written material including video recordings of relevant public statements and other written public statements made by the Southern Transitional Council and Security Belt leadership. The Group also received evidence of a number of attempted assassinations and threats. 350 Confidential Sources on File. 351 Confidential Sources on File. 352 Comprehensive Report on File 353 Confidential Sources on File. Comprehensive Report on File. 354 Comprehensive Report on File. 355 Confidential Sources on File. 356 Comprehensive Report on File. 357 Confidential Sources on File. 61