Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: Al Houthi forces attempt drone attack in Aden; al Houthi forces fire missiles at al Bayda and southern Saudi Arabia; Saudi-led coalition airstrikes target al Houthi camps in Ibb and Sana’a

Horn of Africa: AFRICOM warns of Islamic State growth in Somalia; UN Security Council authorizes AMISOM reduction by 2020; Ethiopian Prime Minister meets SFG President in Addis Ababa; SNA captures al Shabaab checkpoint in Gedo region

Yemen Security Brief

Al Houthi forces attempted to attack a Saudi-led coalition military parade in Aden city in southern Yemen on June 3 using a Qasef 2K drone. Coalition air defenses shot down the drone, which was targeting a parade at the Ras Abbas military camp.^[1]

Al Houthi forces fired a Badr-F missile at Saudi-led coalition forces in the al Hadabeh military camp in al Bayda governorate in central Yemen on June 2. Al Houthi forces fired multiple Zilzal-1 missiles towards the Baqaa desert in Najran region in southwestern Saudi Arabia on the same day.^[2]

The Saudi-led coalition conducted airstrikes against the al Houthi-controlled Hamzah military camp in Sabra district in Ibb governorate in central Yemen on June 2. The coalition also conducted airstrikes against an al Houthi camp in Sanhan district in Sana’a governorate in central Yemen on the same day.^[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM) stated on June 3 that the Islamic State in Somalia is recruiting fast enough to offset losses from AFRICOM airstrikes. AFRICOM estimated that the Islamic State in Somalia has grown to include 300 fighters, most of whom operate in Puntland state in northern Somalia. AFRICOM has conducted multiple airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Puntland since April.[4]

The UN Security Council authorized a scheduled reduction of troops serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on May 31. The UN authorized the withdrawal of 1,000 AMISOM troops by February 28, 2020, which will reduce the force to 19,626 soldiers. The reduction is contingent on the security situation in Somalia. The UN Security Council plans for the Somali Federal Government (SFG) to assume security responsibilities from AMISOM by December 2021.[5]

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met SFG President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on June 2. The two discussed strengthening cooperation in regional peace and security.[6]

Somali National Army (SNA) forces captured the Ali Hared area in Bardhere district in Gedo region in southwestern Somalia on June 3. Al Shabaab had manned a checkpoint in the area that was a significant source of income for the group, according to the SNA.[7]

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