The US Central Command has officially announced the presence of its military fleets in the ports of Aden, southern Yemen.
The Central Command confirmed in a post on Twitter earlier this week that the US Fifth Fleet will observe a moment of silence on Monday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attack on the USS Cole by al-Qaeda in the year 2000.
دعونا نقف في لحظة صمت وتأمل نهار الاثنين 12 تشرين الأول (أكتوبر) لإحياء الذكرى العشرين للهجوم على المدمرة الأمريكية USS Cole (يو أس أس كول). #RememberUSSCole @USNavyCNO https://t.co/ZwXM6WmgWu
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOMArabic) October 9, 2020
Chief of US Naval Operations said in a tweet on Twitter that he would direct all personnel in the US 5th fleet to take a moment of silence at 11.18 am on Monday, October 12th, to remember those who were killed in the attack on USS Cole, while refueling in Aden.
Next Monday, at 11:18 (local) I am directing that the @USNavy observe a moment of silence to recognize the 20th anniversary of attack on USS Cole. We will pause to remember those who were tragically killed and reflect on our responsibility to carry their proud legacy forward. pic.twitter.com/9pIXkOorv6
— USNavyCNO (@USNavyCNO) October 5, 2020
On October 12, 2000, two suicide bombers attacked the USS Cole DDG67 with a boat loaded with high explosives, while it was refueling in the port of Aden. The attack killed 17 American sailors and wounded at least 40 others.
Among the accused in the bombing of the USS Cole were Jamal Al-Badawi, who was killed in a US raid in January 2019, and a second one accused of planning the operation, called Abdul-Rahim Al-Nashiri, a Saudi national, who is detained at the Guantanamo prison camp.
