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 killing IS in Yemen leader in al Bayda governorate; al Houthi movement leader delivers speech commemorating Islamic New Year; Saudi-led coalition claims intercepting al Houthi explosive UAV and missile launched toward Saudi Arabia; Hadi government–aligned forces clash with al Houthis across multiple governorates
Horn of Africa: AFRICOM kills al Shabaab explosives expert in southern Somalia; al Shabaab ambushes AU base in central Somalia; Somali security officials arrest prison guards following al Shabaab attack on Mogadishu’s central prison
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sare’a claimed al Houthi militants killed the leader of the Islamic State (IS) in Yemen during an operation to clear al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and IS in Yemen militants from territory in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate. The al Houthi movement claimed clearing AQAP militants from territory during this operation in al Bayda governorate in mid-August.[1]
Al Houthi movement leader Abdul Malik al Houthi delivered a speech on August 20 commemorating the Islamic New Year. Abdul Malik al Houthi praised Iraqi militias targeting the US military and their efforts to remove the US from Iraq. He also denounced the normalization of UAE-Israeli relations. Abdul Malik al Houthi previously delivered a speech in mid-May commemorating Quds Day, an Iranian-initiated annual holiday that expresses solidarity with Palestinians and hostility toward Israel.[2]
A Saudi-led coalition spokesman announced that Saudi Arabia intercepted an al Houthi explosive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launched from the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, toward civilian centers in southern Saudi Arabia on August 20. The spokesman also announced that Saudi Arabia intercepted an al Houthi ballistic missile targeting Najran city in southwestern Saudi Arabia that same day. Al Houthi militants reportedly launched an unidentified military projectile targeting a village in southwestern Saudi Arabia on August 17.[3]
Forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi reportedly clashed with al Houthi militants in al Jawf, Ma’rib, and al Bayda governorates on August 20. Hadi government forces previously clashed with al Houthi militants in al Jawf, Ma’rib, and al Bayda governorates in mid-August.[4]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting an al Shabaab militant in Kurtunwarey in southern Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region on August 20. The airstrike killed an al Shabaab militant known for his bomb-making expertise. AFRICOM currently assesses that no civilian casualties occurred. AFRICOM conducted an airstrike targeting an al Shabaab checkpoint in Lower Shabelle region in early July.[5]
Al Shabaab militants ambushed a military base belonging to Ethiopian African Union forces in Halgan in central Somalia’s Hiraan region on August 20. Somali National Army forces claimed attacking al Shabaab militants in Hiraan region in early March.[6]
Somali security officials arrested twelve prison guards following al Shabaab’s attack on the Somali capital of Mogadishu’s central prison. Al Shabaab inmates acquired weapons and attacked the central prison guards on August 10. Security forces killed four al Shabaab militants, however, one escaped. A committee will investigate the prison guards for suspected negligence of their duties or for possibly aiding the militants.[7]
[1] “Armed Forces: We targeted the largest den of takfiri elements in the Arabian Peninsula,” 26sep, August 21, 2020, https://26sep.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=180515; and Matthew Eady and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 19, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 19, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-19-2020.
[2] “Sayyed Abdulmalik: Formal Relationship of Arab Regimes and Zionists Expansion of under the table Deals,” Al Masirah, August 20, 2020, https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=14539&cat_id=1; and https://t((.))me/sabreenS1/11476.
[3] “Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of A Bomb-Laden (UAV) Launched Toward the Kingdom,” Saudi Press Agency, August 20, 2020, https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2124073; “The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of A Bomb-Laden (UAV), And (1) Ballistic Missile Launched by the Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom,” Saudi Press Agency, August 20, 2020, https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2124127; and Matthew Eady and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 19, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 19, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-19-2020.
[4] “The National Army and the Ubaida tribes take control of new positions in the al Nudud front,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, August 21, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/176138; “The National Army takes control of new positions on the Qania front ... and launches a counter-attack on the Houthis,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, August 21, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/176129; “Clashes intensify between the army and the Houthis on the "Al-Rakheem" and "Al-Abdiya" fronts,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, August 21, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/176128; 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; 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.
[5] “Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab,” US Africa Command, August 20, 2020, https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/33091/federal-government-of-somalia-africom-target; and Zachary Jaynes and Matthew Eady, “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.
[6] “Deadly attack hits AU base in Somalia,” Mareeg, August 20, 2020, https://mareeg.com/deadly-attack-hits-au-army-base-in-somalia/; and Samuel Bloebaum and Pamela Makadsi, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 5, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 5, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-5-2020.
[7] “Guards arrested in Somalia over Mogadishu prison Al-Shabaab raid,” Garowe, August 20, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/guards-arrested-in-somalia-over-mogadishu-prison-al-shabaab-raid; and “Gunfire heard at Mogadishu Central Prison,” Voice of America Somali, August 10, 2020, https://www.voasomali.com/a/5537548.html.
