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 claim taking territorial control from AQAP in al Bayda governorate; Islamic State in Yemen claims attacking al Houthis in al Bayda governorate; al Houthis reportedly shoot unidentified military projectile targeting Saudi Arabia; al Houthis claim taking Hadi government–controlled territory in Ma’rib governorate; Saudi-led coalition forces launch airstrikes on al Houthi positions in al Jawf governorate; anti–al Houthi forces clash with al Houthis in Sana’a governorate
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab conducts suicide attack near SNA base in south-central Somalia; al Shabaab claims killing administrative official in central Somalia; al Shabaab releases second part of anti-Ethiopian propaganda video series
Yemen Security Brief:
An al Houthi spokesman claimed al Houthi militants took control of territory held by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate on August 18. The al Houthi movement previously claimed clearing AQAP militants from territory in al Bayda governorate on August 10.[1]
The Islamic State in Yemen claimed two attacks on al Houthi militants in Qayfa district in al Bayda governorate on August 12 and 17, respectively. The Islamic State in Yemen previously claimed attacking al Houthi militants in al Bayda governorate in mid-July.[2]
Al Houthi militants reportedly launched an unidentified military projectile targeting a village in southwestern Saudi Arabia’s Jizan region on August 17. The projectile damaged two houses and a vehicle but did not cause any casualties. A spokesman for the Saud-led coalition announced that Saudi Arabia intercepted al Houthi ballistic missiles targeting civilian centers in southern Saudi Arabia on August 16.[3]
Al Houthi militants reportedly took control of territory held by the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi in northern Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate on August 18. The al Houthi movement previously claimed taking Hadi government–controlled territory in Ma’rib governorate on August 16.[4]
Saudi-led coalition forces launched airstrikes on al Houthi positions in al Hazm district in northern Yemen’s al Jawf governorate on August 19. The Saudi-led coalition previously targeted al Houthi militants in al Jawf governorate in early August.[5]
Anti–al Houthi forces clashed with al Houthi militants in Nihm district in central Yemen’s Sana’a governorate on August 18. The Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes targeting al Houthi positions in Sana’a governorate in late July.[6]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Al Shabaab militants conducted a suicide vest attack near a Somali National Army (SNA) base in Goof Gaduud town in south-central Somalia’s Bay region on August 17. The attack killed at least 11 people, including a regional minister and a police chief. Al Shabaab claimed driving out South West State security forces from Goof Gaduud in early August.[7]
Al Shabaab claimed killing an administrative official in Jowhar in central Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region on August 17. Al Shabaab detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting state administrators in Jowhar in April.[8]
Al Shabaab’s al Kata’ib Media Foundation released the second part of a video series promoting anti-Ethiopian propaganda on August 17. The video featured footage from a January 2019 al Shabaab attack on Ethiopian troops in Somalia. The video also featured a former militant commander, which a US airstrike killed in 2016. Al Shabaab released the first part of this video series in early August.[9]
[1] “Armed Force: Liberating 1000 km², Killing, Wounding Takfiri Individuals in Al-Baidha,” Al Masirah, August 18, 2020, https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=14498&cat_id=1; and Matthew Eady and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 12, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 12, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-12-2020.
[2] “Amid Heated Clashes in Yemen, IS Claims Killing and Wounding Large Numbers of Houthi Fighters,” SITE Intelligence Group, August 18, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and Matthew Eady and Zachary Jaynes, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 10, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, July 10, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-july-10-2020.
[3] “Iran-backed Houthi militia launches a military projectile towards a border village in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia, no fatalities or injuries, Civil Defense reports,” Saudi Press Agency, August 17, 2020, https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2121581; and Matthew Eady and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 17, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 17, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-17-2020.
[4] “Revealing the reality of the Houthi control over a new front in Marib,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, August 19, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/175899; and Matthew Eady and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 17, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 17, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-17-2020.
[5] “The coalition bombed Houthi militia sites in Al-Jawf, leaving dead and wounded,” 7adramout, August 19, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/aden24/7469622/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B9-%D9%84%D9%84%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%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%81-%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%82%D9%88%D8%B7-%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%89.html; and Matthew Eady and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 12, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 12, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-12-2020.
[6] “The latest developments in the field of the battles in the Nihm front, east of the capital, Sanaa,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, August 18, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/175886; and Matthew Eady and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 24, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, July 24, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-july-24-2020.
[7] “Regional minister and officials among 11 killed in Somalia attack,” Garowe, August 18, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/regional-minister-and-officials-among-11-killed-in-somalia-attacks; “After Elite Hotel Raid, Shabaab Claims Suicide Bombing at SNA Base Outside Baidoa,” SITE Intelligence Group, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.coml; and Samuel Bloebaum and Matthew Eady, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 7, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 7, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-07-2020.
[8] “Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for regional minister’s assassination,” Radio Shabelle, August 18, 2020, https://www.radioshabelle.com/al-shabaab-claims-responsibility-for-regional-ministers-assassination/; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – April 6, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 6, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-6-2020.
[9] “Shabaab Highlights Attacks on Ethiopian Forces, Including January 2019 Ambush, in 2nd Part of Video Documentary,” SITE Intelligence Group, August 18, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and “Al-Shabaab features commander killed in US drone strike in new video,” Garowe, August 19, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/al-shabaab-features-late-commander-in-new-controversial-video.
