Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: Saudi-led coalition extends unilateral cease-fire; Hadi government forces accuse STC forces of delaying Riyadh Agreement; UN urges al Houthis to release Baha’i prisoners

Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab raids AMISOM base in southern Somalia; al Shabaab attacks KDF in southwestern Somalia; SNA skirmishes with Jubbaland State security forces in southern Somalia; Mozambican opposition party accuses Mozambican security forces of killing civilians in northern Mozambique

Yemen Security Brief:

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al Maliki announced on April 24 a one-month extension of a Saudi unilateral cease-fire in Yemen that expired on April 23. Maliki previously announced a unilateral cease-fire that began on April 9, to prevent the spread of coronavirus and support UN peace efforts in Yemen. The al Houthi movement has not yet accepted a cease-fire.^[1]

The internationally recognized Yemeni government of President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed Transitional Political Council of the South (STC) forces of delaying the implementation of the November 2019 Riyadh Agreement. A Hadi government statement claimed that STC forces prevented Hadi government forces from returning to Aden in southern Yemen on April 23. Hadi government forces clashed with STC forces in Lahij governorate in southern Yemen in mid-April.^[2]

UN officials urged the al Houthi movement on April 23 to implement the release of prisoners jailed for practicing the Baha’i religion and to drop charges against other detainees. An al Houthi official ordered in late March the release of all prisoners in Yemen jailed for practicing Baha’i. The Baha’i faith is a monotheistic religious minority in Yemen that draws upon elements of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.^[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief:

Al Shabaab militants detonated two suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices targeting a Ugandan African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) base in Barawe in southern Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region on April 24. Al Shabaab claimed the attack marked the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and claimed unspecified AMISOM casualties. Al Shabaab fired mortars targeting the AMISOM base in Barawe in mid-March.^[4]

Al Shabaab militants attacked Kenyan Defense Force (KDF) soldiers near Beled Hawo in southwestern Somalia’s Gedo region on April 22. The KDF claimed the attack killed two al Shabaab militants and al Shabaab claimed it killed three KDF soldiers and two civilians. Al Shabaab ambushed an Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) convoy near Luuq in Gedo region in early April.^[5]

Somali National Army (SNA) forces exchanged gunfire and rock propelled grenades with Jubbaland State security forces on the Kenyan-Somali border near Somalia’s Beled Hawo and Kenya’s Mandera city in northeastern Kenya on April 22. SNA forces clashed with Jubbaland State security forces in Beled Hawo in early March.^[6]

Mozambican opposition party Renamo accused Mozambican security forces on April 23 of killing 14 civilians in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province in three separate incidents in mid-April. Renamo alleged that security forces shot several civilians near Ibo Island, northeast of Mozambique’s coast, on April 12 and 16, respectively, and four civilians in Palma district on an unspecified date. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi promised to investigate the allegations. A Mozambican police spokesman stated on April 21 that “bandits” killed 52 Mozambican villagers near Muidumbe Cabo Delgado province in early April.[7]