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: Saudi-led coalition forces claim shooting down al Houthi missile targeting Saudi city; Saudi-led coalition forces allegedly kill al Houthi militant east of Sana'a city; STC forces seize Hadi government convoy carrying billions of riyals intended for Aden’s central bank
Horn of Africa: SNA kills 13 al Shabaab militants in southern Somalia; Kenyan police reservists clash with suspected al Shabaab militants near Kenyan-Somali border; Somali police thwart suspected al Shabaab IED in central Somalia
Yemen Security Brief:
Saudi-led coalition forces claimed shooting down an al Houthi ballistic missile targeting Najran city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Saudi-Yemeni border on June 13. Al Houthi militants reportedly fired the missile from al Houthi-controlled Sa’ada city in northern Yemen’s Sa’ada governorate. Saudi-led coalition forces claimed shooting down two al Houthi drones launched toward Khamis Mushait city in southwestern Saudi Arabia on June 1.[1]
Saudi-led coalition forces reportedly killed an al Houthi militant leader in charge of explosive drones east of the Yemeni capital Sana'a in northern Yemen. Saudi-led coalition forces reportedly launched airstrikes targeting an al Houthi movement drone facility in al Sabaha in Sana’a governorate on June 10.[2]
Transitional Political Council of the South (STC) forces seized a convoy belonging to the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi in southern Yemen’s Aden governorate on June 13. The convoy was carrying 64 billion Yemeni riyals printed in Russia intended for Aden’s central bank. The STC declared self-rule in southern Yemen in late April in an attempt to displace Hadi’s government. [3]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Somali National Army (SNA) forces killed 13 al Shabaab militants near Afmadow town in southwestern Somalia’s Lower Jubba region on June 15. The attacked killed 13 al Shabaab militants, including three senior al Shabaab leaders, according to an SNA official. Al Shabaab militants attacked a Jubbaland State security force base in Somalia’s Lower Jubba region on June 10.[4]
Kenyan police reservists repelled a suspected al Shabaab attack targeting a communications mast in Mandera County in northeastern Kenya on June 14. The clashes killed one Kenyan police reservist and two suspected al Shabaab militants. Al Shabaab previously claimed three separate attacks in Mandera County in mid-March.[5]
Somali police thwarted a suspected al Shabaab attack in Balad town in central Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region on June 13. A local police commander confirmed that police safely detonated an improvised explosive device planted along a street used by civilians. Al Shabaab previously attacked an African Union Mission in Somalia base near Balad town on June 9.[6]
[1] “Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it destroyed missile targeting Saudi Arabia,” Reuters, June 13, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi/saudi-led-coalition-in-yemen-says-it-destroyed-missile-targeting-saudi-arabia-idUSKBN23K0HS?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29destroyed-missile-targeting-saudi-arabia-idUSKBN23K0HS; and Samuel Bloebaum and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – June 1, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, June 1, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-june-1-2020.
[2] “Iran-trained Houthi militant leader in charge of drones killed east of Sana’a,” Al Arabiya, June 15, 2020, https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/06/15/Iran-trained-Houthi-militant-leader-in-charge-of-drones-killed-east-of-Sanaa.html; and Matthew Eady and Zachary Jaynes, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – June 10, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, June 10, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-june-10-2020.
[3] “Separatists in South Yemen Seize Convoy with Billions of Riyals for Central Bank, VOA News, June 14, 2020, https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/separatists-south-yemen-seize-convoy-billions-riyals-central-bank; and Samuel Bloebaum and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – June 8, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, June 8, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-june-8-2020.
[4] “Somali Army Kills 13 Al Shabaab Militants in Southern Region”, Hiiraan, June 15, 2020, http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2020/Jun/178601/somali_army_kills_13_al_shabab_militants_in_southern_region.aspx; and Matthew Eady and Zachary Jaynes, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – June 10, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, June 10, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-june-10-2020.
[5] “Suspected Al-Shabaab kill Mandera police reservists in attack on mast,” Horseed media, June 14, 2020, https://horseedmedia.net/2020/06/14/suspected-al-shabaab-kill-mandera-police-reservist-in-attack-on-mast/; and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 13, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 13, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-13-2020.
[6] “Police foil Al-Shabaab bomb blast in Somalia,” Garowe Online, June 14, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/police-foil-al-shabaab-bomb-blast-in-somalia; and Matthew Eady and Zachary Jaynes, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – June 10, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, June 10, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-june-10-2020.
