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 Houthi spokesman warns Saudi civilians to stay away from Saudi military buildings and palaces; Saudi-led coalition reportedly launches airstrikes on al Houthis across several governorates; al Houthis clash amongst themselves in Ibb governorate
Horn of Africa: Unclaimed IED attack kills two Somali police officers in Mogadishu
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sare'a urged Saudi civilians on July 7 to stay away from Saudi military buildings and palaces. The al Houthi movement claimed a large-scale ballistic missile and explosive drone attack on the Saudi Defense and Intelligence ministries and King Salman Air Base in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in late June.[1]
The Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes targeting al Houthi positions in al Jawf, al Bayda, and Ma’rib governorates on July 7. Saudi-led coalition forces launched airstrikes targeting al Houthi sites in al Bayda governorate’s al Qurayshiya district, targeting armored vehicles and a weapons and ammunition warehouse. Hadi government forces claimed preventing al Houthi militants from advancing in al Bayda’s Qaniya front on July 6.[2]
Several al Houthi militants reportedly clashed amongst themselves in Hazm al ‘Udayn district in Ibb governorate in central Yemen. The clashes allegedly erupted over a dispute during a funeral of an al Houthi militant. Al Houthi militants reportedly clashed with each other over land east of the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, on July 4.[3]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
An unclaimed roadside improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a Somali police vehicle in Hodan district in the Somali capital Mogadishu on July 8. The explosion killed two Somali police officers and injured at least two civilians. An al Shabaab IED attack killed at least four African Union Mission to Somalia soldiers in the Elasha Biyaha area on the outskirts of Mogadishu on July 7.[4]
[1] “Sare’e Urges Saudi Civilians to Stay Away from Royal Palaces, Military Headquarters,” Al Masirah, July 8, 2020, https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=13866&cat_id=1; and Matthew Eady and Zachary Jaynes, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – June 24, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, June 24, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-june-24-2020.
[2] “The coalition destroys reinforcements for the Houthi militia in Jawf, Marib, and al-Bayda,” 7adramout, July 8, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/aden24/7432567/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81-%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AA-%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-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%81-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%A1.html; “The National Army forces achieve great victories in Al-Jouf and are close to Al-Hazm Governorate Center,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, July 7, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/171314; and Zachary Jaynes and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 6, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, July 6, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-july-6-2020.
[3] “Inter-clashes break out within the ranks of the Houthi militia in Ibb governorate,” 7adramout, July 8, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/4MAY/7432325/%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D9%84-%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%88%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%A8.html; and “Inter-Houthi clashes in Sana’a, in which machine guns were used,” 7adramout, July 4, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/4MAY/7429265/%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%8F%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%A9.html.
[4] “Two policemen killed in roadside blast in Mogadishu, witnesses say,” Reuters, July 8, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-somalia-blast/two-policemen-killed-in-roadside-blast-in-mogadishu-witnesses-idUSKBN2491OJ; “Update: Landmine explosion hit a police vehicle in Mogadishu,” Goobjoog, July 8, 2020, http://goobjoog.com/english/update-landmine-explosion-hit-a-police-vehicle-in-mogadishu/; and “Al Shabaab Claims Responsibility for Killing 4 AMISOM Soldiers in the Outskirts of Mogadishu,” Radio Dalsan, July 7, 2020, https://www.radiodalsan.com/en/2020/07/07/alshabab-claims-responsibility-for-killing-4-amisom-soldiers-in-the-outskirts-of-mogadishu/.
