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: AQAP urges Yemenis to fight al Houthis; Saudi-led coalition claims to intercept al Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia; al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clash in Ma’rib governorate
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab leader urges followers to target foreign forces in Somalia; al Shabaab executes alleged spies in Middle Jubba region; al Shabaab attacks Ethiopian military base in Bakool region; al Shabaab attacks Kenyan military base in Lower Jubba region; UN Security Council extends AMISOM mandate
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a statement about the ongoing conflict between the al Houthi movement and forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government in central Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate on March 1. AQAP labeled the al Houthi movement as America’s “hired gun” to fight Sunni Muslims and foment divisions in Yemen. AQAP released a local bulletin on the COVID-19 pandemic in late February.[i]
The Saudi-led coalition claimed to intercept an al Houthi explosive-laden drone targeting southern Saudi Arabia on March 3. The Saudi-led coalition last claimed to intercept an al Houthi explosive-laden drone targeting the Abha International Airport in the kingdom’s Jizan region on March 2. A projectile injured five civilians in Jizan city the same day.[ii]
Al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clashed in Ma’rib governorate’s Sirwah district on March 3. Al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clashed along Ma’rib governorate’s al Kassara front on March 2.[iii]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Al Shabaab released a speech by its leader, Ahmad Umar, calling on followers to participate in jihad and rebel against foreign forces in Somalia on March 1. Al Shabaab accused the Somali Federal Government of yielding to foreign influence in a documentary series it released in mid-February.[iv]
Al Shabaab executed five alleged spies in Jilib district in southern Somalia’s Middle Jubba region on March 1. Al Shabaab accused the men of reporting militant locations to the US Central Intelligence Agency.[v]
Al Shabaab attacked an Ethiopian military base in Hudur district in central Somalia’s Bakool region on March 2. Al Shabaab attacked an Ethiopian military base in Hudur in early February.[vi]
Al Shabaab attacked a Kenyan military base in Qoqani town in southern Somalia’s Lower Jubba region on March 2. Suspected al Shabaab militants attacked Kenyan military bases in Kuday and Abdale Birole in Lower Jubba region on March 1.[vii]
The UN Security Council extended the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) mandate on February 25. The mandate, which was set to expire in late February, was extended to March 14.[viii]
[i] “Amid Battle for Marib, AQAP Brands Houthis America's ‘Hired Gun’ Against Sunnis and Urges All Out Fight,” SITE Intelligence Group, March 1, 2021, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 22, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 22, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-22-2021.
[ii] “Coalition defenses destroy a Houthi march towards Saudi Arabia,” Hadramawt, March 3, 2021, http://www.7adramout.net/4MAY/7587855/%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81-%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9.html; “The Coalition announces the destruction of a Houthi march, which the Houthis claim to target Abha airport,” Aden Lang, March 2, 2021, http://adnlng.info/news/165419/; and “Saudi Arabia… a Houthi projectile fell in Jizan, wounding 5 civilians,” Al Jazeera, March 2, 2021, https://www.aljazeera.net/news/politics/2021/3/2/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b3%d9%82%d9%88%d8%b7-%d9%85%d9%82%d8%b0%d9%88%d9%81-%d8%b9%d8%b3%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%ac%d8%a7%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86.
[iii] “Al Houthi drone was shot down in the Marib governorate,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, March 3, 2021, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/196369; “The National Army drains Al-Houthi in the deserts of Marib, and Al-Sabeen Square is littered with militia corpses,” Mareb Press, March 2, 2021, https://marebpress.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=172132; and Amelia Frederking and Lauren Detter, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 1, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 1, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-1-2021.
[iv] “Al-Kataib Foundation Releases New Speech of Sheikh Abu Ubaydah,” Calamada, March 1, 2021, http://calamada.com/daawo-muassasada-al-kataaib-oo-baahisay-kalimadda-cusub-ee-sheekh-abuu-cubeydah-2/; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 12, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 12, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-12-2021.
[v] “Al Shabaab kills 5 in Jilib town,” Somalimemo, March 3, 2021, https://somalimemo.info/articles/14340/Al-Shabaab-oo-5-ruux-ku-dilay-fagaare-kuyaal-magaalada-Jilib.
[vi] “Jamal Farah Adam killed in Galkayo,” Calamada, March 2, 2021, http://calamada.com/99075-2/; and “Ethiopian military bases in Gedo and Bakool come under attack,” Somalimemo, February 8, 2021, https://somalimemo.net/articles/14327/Saldhigyada-ciidamada-Itoobiya-ee-Gedo-iyo-Bakool-oo-weeraro-lakulmay.
[vii] “Jamal Farah Adam killed in Galkayo,” Calamada, March 2, 2021, http://calamada.com/99075-2/; and Lauren Detter, Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 1, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 1, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-1-2021.
[viii] “Security Council Reauthorizes Deployment of African Union Mission in Somalia, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2563 (2021),” UN Security Council, February 25, 2021, https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14451.doc.htm.
