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: UN report concludes Iran violated arms embargo on Yemen; AQAP militants attack military forces in southern and eastern Yemen; Hadi government and coalition forces fight offensive in al Bayda governorate, central Yemen; U.S. airstrike targets AQAP militants in al Bayda
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab militants attack Somali security forces in Mogadishu; al Shabaab militants attack Kenyan forces near Somali-Kenyan border; al Shabaab militants attack two military bases in Bay region, southern Somalia
Yemen Security Brief
An unpublished UN report concluded that Iran violated an arms embargo on Yemen by failing to prevent the al Houthi movement from obtaining Iranian missile parts. The report did not explicitly state who transferred the missile parts to Yemen or the supplier’s identity. The report also called attention to Saudi and Emirati human rights transgressions and Emirati support for forces that undermine the internationally recognized Yemeni government.[1]
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants attacked Emirati-backed security forces in southern and eastern Yemen. AQAP militants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting Emirati-backed al Hizam Security Forces in al Mahfad district, Abyan governorate on January 13. AQAP militants also shelled al Hizam Security Forces in al Mahfad on January 15. AQAP militants fired two Katyusha rockets at Emirati-backed Shabwani Elite Forces near the al Musayniah-Ataq junction, west of city, Shabwah governorate on January 14. Suspected AQAP militants detonated an IED targeting a military vehicle in Sayun, Hadramawt governorate on January 13.[2]
Saudi-led coalition and Hadi government forces continued an offensive on al Bayda governorate, central Yemen. Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck an al Houthi training camp in Riam area, district, northwestern al Bayda on January 13. Al Houthi forces fired a Zilzal-2 ballistic missile at Hadi government forces in Nati’ district, central al Bayda on January 13. Hadi government forces began an offensive against al Houthi forces in Nati’ on December 26 after securing a neighboring district in Shabwah governorate.[3]
Reported U.S. airstrikes targeted AQAP militants in district, northwestern al Bayda governorate on January 12. The U.S. air campaign against AQAP is intended to degrade the group’s media capabilities, allow counterterrorism partners to regain territory, and impede AQAP’s capacity to attack U.S. territory.[4]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
Al Shabaab militants conducted five attacks in Mogadishu between January 13-15. Al Shabaab militants killed a Somali National Army (SNA) soldier near the Jazeera area, Mogadishu on January 13. Al Shabaab militants detonated an IED targeting SNA soldiers on October 21st Road on January 14. Al Shabaab militants also killed two SNA soldiers in separate attacks in the Hodan district and detonated a grenade targetings Mogadishu security forces in the Yaqshid district on January 15.[5]
Al Shabaab militants conducted attacks near the Somali-Kenyan border between January 13-15. Al Shabaab militants ambushed a Kenyan police convoy between and county, southeastern Kenya on January 13. Al Shabaab militants detonated an IED targeting Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) near , Gedo region, southern Somalia on January 14. Al Shabaab militants also ambushed a KDF convoy between Buday, Lamu county and , Garissa county, eastern Kenya.[6]
Al Shabaab militants attacked two government military bases in Bay region, southern Somalia on January 16. Al Shabaab militants temporarily captured a Southwest State military base in Gofgudud, region, but Southwest forces repelled the militants shortly afterwards. Al Shabaab militants also attempted to raid a SNA base in Daynunay, but withdrew after reportedly suffering heavy casualties.[7]
[1] Karim Fahim, “U.N. probe details fallout of proxy war in Yemen between Saudi coalition and Iran,” The Washington Post, January 11, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/un-probe-details-fallout-of-proxy-war-in-yemen-between-saudi-coalition-and-iran-/2018/01/11/3e3f9302-f644-11e7-9af7-a50bc3300042_story.html?utm_term=.ab731b091c5a; and Rick Gladstone, “Iran Violated Yemen Arms Embargo, U.N. Experts Say,” The New York Times, January 12, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/world/middleeast/iran-yemen-saudi-arabia-arms-embargo-un.html?_r=1.
[2] “A citizen of Sayun was wounded by explosive device,” Aden Tomorrow, January 13, 2018, http://adengad.net/news/297655/; AQAP militants detonate IED targeting al Hizam forces in al Mahfad, Telegram, January 13; AQAP militants shell al Hizam forces in al Mahfad, Telegram, January 15; AQAP militants fire Katyusha rockets targeting Shabwani Elite Forces, Telegram, January 14, 2018.
[3] “Zilzal-2 rocket on the hypocrites in al Bayda and targeting their communities in Ma’rib,” Al Masirah, January 13, 2018, http://almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=18121&cat_id=3; “Killing and wounding 50 Houthis in air raids targeting a training camp in Rada’a, al Bayda,” Al Masdar, January 13, 2018, http://almasdaronline.com/article/96509; “Raids of the Arab Alliance target al Houthi sites in Qayfa area, al Bayda governorate,” Al Masdar, January 14, 2018, http://almasdaronline.com/article/96519.
[4] “Killed and wounded in the ranks of al Qaeda by an air strike launched by U.S. drones in al Bayda,” Al Masdar, January 13, 2018, http://almasdaronline.com/article/96508; Demolinari, Twitter, January 13, 2018, https://twitter.com/demolinari/status/952235210812178432.
[5] Al Shabaab conducts attacks in southern Somalia and near Somali-Kenyan border, Telegram, January 15, 2018; and “Shabaab claims Seizing Control Over Sna Base Near Afgoye, Two Attacks In Kenya,” SITE, January 16, 2018, available by subscription at ent.siteintelgroup.com.
[6] Al Shabaab conducts attacks in southern Somalia and near Somali-Kenyan border, Telegram, January 15, 2018; and “Shabaab claims Seizing Control Over Sna Base Near Afgoye, Two Attacks In Kenya,” SITE, January 16, 2018, available by subscription at ent.siteintelgroup.com.
[7] Harun Maruf, Twitter, January 16, 2018, https://twitter.com/HarunMaruf/status/953180626013782017.
