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 militants seize al Jawf governorate’s capital; al Houthi militants attack relief bus in al Hudaydah governorate
Horn of Africa: Somali regional paramilitary force surrenders to SNA in central Somalia; IS Somalia releases recruitment video; suspected al Shabaab militants detonate improvised explosive device targeting Somali military convoy in Lower Shabelle region; AFRICOM conducts airstrike killing two militants in Middle Shabelle region; SNA clashes with Jubbaland State security forces in Gedo region
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Houthi militants seized al Hazm, the capital of northern Yemen’s al Jawf governorate, on March 1. A Hadi government official acknowledged that government troops withdrew from the capital, marking the first time that the Saudi-led coalition has lost a Yemeni governorate capital in more than two years. Local media sources stated that al Houthi militants are advancing towards northern Ma’rib governorate.[1]
Al Houthi militants detonated an improvised explosive device inside a bus carrying aid supplies in al Durayhimi in western Yemen’s al Hudaydah governorate on March 2. The attack injured the bus driver and several passengers.[2]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
The leader and the chief of the Somali regional militia, Ahlu Sunnah wa al Jama’a (ASWJ), surrendered to Somali federal authorities on February 29. A Somali government official said security forces disarmed the ASWJ militia that began clashing with the Somali National Army in central Somalia’s Galmudug State capital Dhusamareb in late February.[3]
The Islamic State (IS) in Somalia released a video on February 28 depicting a training camp and operations targeting Somali intelligence and security officials. The video includes Amharic and Swahili sections, indicating outreach to populations in Ethiopia and Kenya. IS Somalia released a series of photos showing its fighters training in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland State in mid-February.[4]
Suspected al Shabaab militants detonated an improvised explosive device targeting a Somali military convoy near Warmahan in the Lower Shabelle region on March 1. The attack killed at least four soldiers and wounded others.[5]
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting al Shabaab near Qunyo Barrow in the Middle Jubba region in southern Somalia on February 28. The airstrike killed two militants. AFRICOM announced that it killed the mastermind behind the attack on US-operated Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya in an airstrike in the Middle Jubba region in late February.[6]
The Somali National Army (SNA) engaged in armed clashes with Jubbaland State security forces in northern Somalia’s Gedo region on March 2. The clash killed at least 10 civilians and soldiers. The SNA took control of the Gedo region from Jubbaland State security forces last month.[7]
[1] “Ansarallah forces capture capital city of al-Jawf in decisive battle,” Al Masdar news, March 1, 2020, https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ansarallah-forces-capture-capital-city-of-al-jawf-in-decisive-battle/; and “Officials say Yemen’s rebels seize strategic northern city,” Al Jazeera, March 1, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/officials-yemen-rebels-seize-strategic-northern-city-200301135153794.html.
[2] “Al Houthi militia targets a relief bus on al Drahami road,” 7adramout, March 2, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/4MAY/7317911/%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%87%D9%85%D9%8A.html.
[3] Abdulaziz Osman, “Somalia’s Sufi Muslim Leaders Surrender to Government,” Voice of America, February 29, 2020, https://www.voanews.com/africa/somalias-sufi-muslim-leaders-surrender-government?utm_source=Media+Review+for+March+2%2C+2020&utm_campaign=Media+Review+for+March+2%2C+2020&utm_medium=email; “Leaders of Somalia’s Ahlu Sunnah armed group surrender to gov’t,” Somali Affairs, February 29, 2020, https://www.somaliaffairs.com/news/leaders-of-somalias-ahlu-sunnah-armed-group-surrender-to-govt/; and Pamela Makadasi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 28, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-28-2020.
[4] “IS Somalia Province Video Courts Muslims in East Africa, Disparages Shabab,” SITE Intelligence Group, February 28, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and Pamela Makadasi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 18, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 18, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-18-2020.
[5] Mohammed Dhaysane, “Bomb blast kills 4 soldiers in Somalia,” Anadolu Agency, March 2, 2020, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/bomb-blast-kills-4-soldiers-in-somalia/1750791.
[6] “Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab,” AFRICOM, February 28, 2020, https://www.africom.mil/media-room/pressrelease/32615/federal-government-of-somalia-africom-target-al-shabaab; and Pamela Makadadi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 26, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 26, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-26-2020.
[7] Mohammed Dhaysane, “10 dead in gun battle between Somali troops, militia,” Anadolu Agency, March 2, 2020, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/10-dead-in-gun-battle-between-somali-troops-militia/1752251; and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 5, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 5, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-5-2020.
