Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: UN Special Envoy for Yemen postpones trip to Sana’a; AQAP militants attack Emirati-backed counterterrorism forces in southern Abyan governorate; AQAP militants attack al Houthi-Saleh forces in southern al Bayda governorate

Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab militants ambush SNA convoy in Bakool region; al Shabaab militants ambush two AMISOM convoys in Middle Shabelle region; African Union official meets with Burundian government

Yemen Security Brief

• UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed postponed a planned visit to Sana’a city on January 19. Ould Cheikh Ahmed intended to meet with representatives from the al Houthi Movement and the General People’s Congress (GPC) party, led by former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, to discuss ceasefire terms. Ould Cheikh Ahmed met with Yemeni President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi regarding the ceasefire in Aden city on January 18. Ould Cheikh Ahmed postponed the visit after al Houthi representatives attempted to replace the planned meeting with a meeting between Ould Cheikh Ahmed and the al Houthi-Saleh foreign minister. The al Houthi-Saleh faction also attempted to add the return of air traffic to Sana’a’s airport as a condition for negotiations. The al Houthi-Saleh foreign minister met with Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s chief advisor, Nicole Davis, in his stead.[1]

• Emirati-backed al Hizam security forces are struggling to counter al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Abyan governorate. AQAP militants attacked an al Hizam base in Shaqra area, southern Abyan governorate with Grad rockets and infantry on January 19. AQAP militants killed at least one al Hizam soldier in the attack. AQAP militants reportedly deployed to al Khanfir district, north of Shaqra town in southern Abyan, on January 19. AQAP militants ambushed and stole a supply truck in Lawder district, northern Abyan on January 18. The truck was en route to resupply al Hizam forces in Abyan, where inadequate resources are hindering al Hizam’s operations. Al Hizam forces withdrew from several checkpoints in central Abyan governorate on January 19, citing a lack of resources necessary to defend against AQAP attacks. An al Hizam commander in Lawder district reportedly mortgaged his home in order to pay for supplies for his troops. Al Hizam officers called for the head of al Hizam forces in Abyan to be relieved of his command on January 18 in response to the deteriorating security situation.[2]

• AQAP militants fired Grad rockets at al Houthi-Saleh forces in Dhi Na'im district, southern al Bayda governorate, at night on January 19.Al Houthi-Saleh forces clashed with reported popular resistance militiamen in Dhi Na’im on January 18. AQAP frequently fights al Houthi-Saleh forces alongside local tribal militias in Ibb and al Bayda governorates.[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Al Shabaab militants ambushed a Somali National Army (SNA) convoy in Marerey Forest in Bakool region on January 19. The militants killed several SNA soldiers in the attack. Al Shabaab has increased its presence in Bakool region since Ethiopian African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces began to withdraw from the area in October 2016.[4]

• Al Shabaab militants claimed two attacks on AMISOM forces in Middle Shabelle region on January 18. Militants ambushed a convoy of AMISOM troops in a village outside of Jowhar, killing several soldiers. Militants also targeted Burundian AMISOM troops outside El Baraf town. Al Shabaab conducted several attacks on AMISOM convoys outside of Mahaday and Jowhar towns in Middle Shabelle region in January 2017.[5]

• African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui traveled to Burundi to meet with Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza and discuss Burundi’s threat to withdraw its forces from the AMISOM coalition. The Burundian government informed the African Union of its intention to begin withdrawing forces from Somalia immediately due to unpaid salaries. The European Union is attempting to bypass the sanctioned Burundian government to pay Burundian AMISOM soldiers directly. Burundi currently deploys 5,500 troops in Somalia.[6]