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 shut down hospital in al Hazm
Horn of Africa: Somali armed forces attack al Shabaab in Hiraan region; al Shabaab launches mortar shells at Djiboutian AMISOM base in Hiraan region; Kenyan government accuses Somali forces of violating territory in Mandera County
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Houthi militants shut down a hospital in al Hazm, the capital of al Jawf governorate in northern Yemen on March 4. Local sources stated that the hospital provides medical assistance to more than six hundred thousand citizens. Al Hazm residents have cited al Houthi abuses targeting civilians and the military since the militants seized al Hazm on March 1.[1]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Somali armed forces attacked al Shabaab militants near El Ali village in central Somalia’s Hiraan region on March 5. The Somali National Army claimed the attack but some local reporting credits the Somali Ma’awisley militia for the assault. The Ma’awisley militia ambushed an al Shabaab base in El Ali in early October 2019.[2]
Al Shabaab launched mortar shells on a Djiboutian African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) base near the town of Jalalaqsi in central Somalia’s Hiraan region on March 5. Local sources reported that AMISOM forces suffered unspecified casualties. AMISOM forces withdrew from two bases near Jalalaqsi in September 2019 following disputes with Hiraan’s local administration.[3]
The Kenyan government released a statement on March 4 accusing the Somali National Army (SNA) of violating its territory during clashes with Jubbaland State security forces in the Gedo region in southern Somalia on March 2. The SNA allegedly pursued Jubbaland State security forces from Somalia into the town of Mandera in eastern Kenya’s Mandera County, destroying residents’ properties. The US Ambassador to Somalia called for a ceasefire between the SNA and Jubbaland State security forces skirmishing in the Gedo region earlier this week.[4]
[1] “The houthis shut down al Jawf general hospital,” 7adramout, March 5, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/4MAY/7320826/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%BA%D9%84%D9%82%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%81%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85.html; and Samuel Bloebaum and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review- March 4, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-4-2020.
[2] “SNA kills 8 Al-Shabab militia in a military operation, Hiran region,” Goobjoog, March 5, 2020, http://goobjoog.com/english/sna-kills-8al-shabab-militia-in-a-military-operation-hiran-region/; “Deadly clash between armed militia and Alshabab reported in Hiran region,” Mustaqbal Radio, March 5, 2020, https://www.mustaqbalradio.net/deadly-clash-between-armed-militia-and-alshabab-reported-in-hiran-region/; and Nicholas Sgambellone and Kevin Phelan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 7, 2019,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, October 7, 2019, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-7-2019.
[3] Liban Jexow, “Al Shabaab ambushes Djiboutian base in Jalalaqsi,” Somali Memo, March 5, 2020, https://somalimemo.net/articles/12530/Ciidamada-Al-Shabaab-oo-duqeeyay-Saldhigga-Ciidamada-Jabuuti-Ee-Jalalaqsi; and Nicholas Sgambellone, Kevin Phelan, and Hennessey Herrera, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - September 23, 2019,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, September 23, 2019, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-september-23-2019.
[4] Elias Biryabarema, “Kenya accuses Somalia of violating its territory in escalating regional feud,” Reuters, March 5, 2020, https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN20S0RZ-OZATP; and Samuel Bloebaum and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 4, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 4, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-4-2020.
