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 claims attacks on al Houthis in al Bayda governorate; Hadi government–aligned forces claim surrounding al Houthi–held city in al Jawf governorate
Horn of Africa: ISCA claims attacks in DRC and Mozambique; al Shabaab militants reportedly shoot and kill Somali intelligence agents in Mogadishu; al Shabaab IED injures SNA soldier in Galgudud region; SFG delays electoral preparations
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed several attacks targeting al Houthi militants in Shawkan in al Sawma’ah district in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate on November 2. AQAP militants reportedly attacked al Houthi fighters and positions with mortar, gunfire, and improvised explosive devices in the area on November 1. AQAP previously claimed attacks on al Houthi forces in Tayyab in al Bayda governorate in mid-October.[1]
Forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi claimed surrounding al Jawf governorate’s capital, al Hazm city, in northern Yemen on November 1. Al Houthi forces reportedly withdrew from al Jawf governorate toward Arhab district in Sana’a governorate. Hadi government–aligned forces claimed seizing al Houthi–held territory near al Hazm city in early October.[2]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
The Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (ISCA) claimed to kill twenty-one Christians and burning down churches and homes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Lisasi village in North Kivu province in the country’s east on October 31. The Islamic State claimed ISCA militants captured Muidumbe town in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province the same day. The Islamic State claimed ISCA attacked a village in North Kivu province in late October.[3]
Al Shabaab militants reportedly shot and killed at least two undercover Somali intelligence agents guarding surveillance cameras in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, on November 1. Al Shabaab militants claimed an attack on Ethiopian soldiers and a Somali government official in Mogadishu in late October.[4]
An al Shabaab roadside improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near Dhusamareb city in central Somalia’s Galgudud region on October 30. The explosion injured at least one Somali National Army soldier. Suspected al Shabaab militants detonated an IED targeting civilians in Galgudud region in late October.[5]
The Somali Federal Government delayed its electoral preparations that were due to begin on November 1. The process of selecting and preparing delegates has been pushed back to an undetermined date.[6]
[1] “AQAP Claims Multiple Attacks in Offensive on Houthi Positions in Shawkan, Documents Bombings in Tayyab,” November 2, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; Sarah Gordon and Hannah Kuperman “Gulf of Aden Security Review – October 19, 2020, Critical Threats Project at American Enterprise Institute, October 19, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-19-2020.
[2] “Thwarting a two-axis attack by the Houthi militia on Marib, and coalition fighters destroy their fortifications in the Al-Jawf center,” Mareb Press, November 1, 2020, https://marebpress.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=16854; Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – October 7, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at American Enterprise Institute, October 7, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-7-2020.
[3] “ISCAP Claims Killing 21 Christian ‘Militiamen” and Burning Church in Butembo (DR Congo), Capturing Muidumbe (Mozambique),” SITE Intelligence Group, November 1, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; “Suspected Islamists Kill 17 Civilians in Eastern Congo Raid,” Reuters, October 31, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-congo-security/suspected-islamists-kill-17-civilians-in-eastern-congo-raid-idUSKBN27G0O4; “Suspected ADF Attack in DRC Village Kills More Than 20 Civilians,” Al Jazeera, October 31, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/31/21-dead-in-new-dr-congo-massacre-by-adf-rebel-group-official; and Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 30, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, October 30, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-30-2020.
[4] “Security Forces Engage in Gunfight With Militants in Somalia’s Capital,” Garowe, November 1, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/security-forces-engage-in-gunfight-with-militants-in-somalias-capital; and Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 21, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, October 21, 2020,https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-21-2020.
[5] “Al-Shabaab Tries to Regain Control of Key Town in Central Somalia,” Garowe, October 31, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/al-shabaab-tries-to-regain-control-of-key-town-in-central-somalia; and Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 26, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, October 26, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-26-2020.
[6] “Somalia Election of 2021 Has Been Delayed and Why,” Somali Times, November 2, 2020, https://www.somalitimes.co.uk/somalia-election-of-2021-has-been-delayed-and-why/; and “Villa Somalia’s Dream Come True,” Garowe, November 2, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/so/news/somalia/villa-soomaaliya-oo-riyada-farmaajo-ku-toshay-fulinta-heshiiska-doorashada.
