Gulf of Aden Security Review
A regularly updated review of both Yemen and the Horn of Africa covering topics related to security, governance, and militant activity.
Yemen: Al Houthis fire artillery at residential neighborhoods in al Hudaydah governorate; al Houthis clash with southern resistance forces in Dhaleh governorate
Horn of Africa: Somali police kill two al Shabaab militants in Mogadishu; Kenyan official warns SNA not to provoke KDF
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Houthi militants reportedly fired artillery targeting residential neighborhoods in Hays in al Hudaydah governorate in western Yemen on April 28. Al Houthi militants shelled residential neighborhoods in al Durayhimi district in al Hudaydah on April 22.[1]
Al Houthi militants clashed with Yemeni southern resistance forces in al Fakhir in Dhaleh governorate in southern Yemen on April 27, according to local sources. The al Houthi military spokesman claimed on April 20 that al Houthi militants clashed with forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government in Dhaleh governorate.[2]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Somali police killed two al Shabaab militants in the Somali capital Mogadishu on April 27. Police forces alleged that the militants assassinated a civilian in the city on April 26. Al Shabaab assassinated a doctor on the outskirts of Mogadishu in mid-April.[3]
A Kenyan regional administrator warned the Somali National Army (SNA) not to provoke the Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF). The Kenyan official alleged that the SNA launched a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) targeting the KDF during a routine border patrol in Mandera in Mandera County in eastern Kenya on April 22. The official claimed that the SNA fired the RPG from Beled Hawo in Gedo region in southern Somalia, hitting Mandera’s finance offices. The Kenyan official warned that Kenya would respond in kind if such alleged attacks continued. SNA forces exchanged artillery with Kenyan-backed Jubbaland State security forces near the Somali-Kenyan border on April 22.[4]
[1] “Al Houthi Militia continues to target residential neighborhoods in Hays,” Khabar Agency, April 28, 2020, https://www.khabaragency.net/news125490.html; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 22, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 22, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-21-2020.
[2] “Houthi militia killed and wounded in operation in northern Dhaleh,” 7adramout, April 28, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/4MAY/7370371/%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%89-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%88%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9.html; and Jessica Kocan and Pamela Makadsi, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 21, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 21, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-21-2020.
[3] “Somalia: Al-Shabaab militants shot dead in Mogadishu,” Garowe, April 28, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-al-shabaab-militants-shot-dead-in-mogadishu; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 17, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 17, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-17-2020.
[4] Bruhan Makong, “Kenya warns Somali army after Mandera grenade attack,” The Nation, April 28, 2020, https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/mandera/Do-not-provoke-KDF-Somali-army-warned/1183298-5535932-fok1ulz/index.html; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 24, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 24, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-24-2020.
