Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen: Al Houthi movement and forces loyal to former President Saleh clash after Saleh distances himself from ballistic missile campaign against Saudi Arabia; ISIS detonates VBIED in Aden city, southern Yemen; AQAP detonates IED targeting Emirati-backed forces in Zinjibar city, southern Yemen

Horn of Africa: ISIS in Somalia and al Shabaab claim to assassinate SNA soldier in Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia; SNA forces recapture town in Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia; al Shabaab militants raid KDF and SNA base in Lower Jubba region, southern Somalia; ethnic violence kills fifty civilians in South Sudan

Yemen Security Brief

Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh called on “decision makers” to stop firing ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia, if the Saudi-led coalition ends its bombing campaign and lifts its blockade on Yemen during a speech on November 28 commemorating the 50th anniversary of South Yemen’s independence. Al Houthi forces clashed with forces loyal to Saleh outside al Saleh Mosque in the political center of Sana’a city, northern Yemen on November 29 following the speech. Leader of the al Houthi movement Abdul Malik al Houthi accused Saleh and his followers of not understanding the concepts of alliance and partnership on November 25. Saleh also urged the al Houthi movement not to believe those who are trying to fracture the al Houthi-Saleh bloc.^[1] 

Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) Wilayat Aden-Abyan militants detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) targeting the Ministry of Finance building in Khormaksar district, Aden city, southern Yemen on November 29. The VBIED killed four people and caused severe damage to the building. ISIS Wilayat Aden-Abyan militants conducted two other large-scale VBIED attacks in Aden in November.^[2]

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting Emirati-backed al Hizam Security Forces in Zinjibar city, Abyan governorate, southern Yemen on November 28. AQAP received information that Commander of al Hizam in Abyan governorate Abdul Latif al Sayyed would be traveling west towards Zinjibar. AQAP militants also detonated IEDs targeting al Sayyed in Mahfad district, Abyan on November 28.^[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

Both al Shabaab and ISIS in Somalia claimed responsibility for the assassination of a Somali National Army (SNA) soldier in Afgoi, Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia on November 29. Pro-ISIS Amaq News Agency published a video of the assassination. Al Shabaab conducts frequent attacks in Afgoi and the surrounding regions. ISIS is based in northern Somalia but has claimed isolated attacks in southern Somalia in the past.^[4]

The SNA captured Balad Amin town in Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia from al Shabaab on November 29. The Somali Federal Government recently initiated a new counter-al Shabaab offensive to clear militants from southern Somalia in response to the October 14 bombing that killed over 300 civilians in Mogadishu. Balad Amin is in the Wanlaweyn district of the Lower Shabelle region less than ten miles from the U.S.’s Baledogle Forward Operating Base.^[5]

Al Shabaab militants raided a joint Kenyan Defense Force (KDF)-SNA base in Hosingow, Lower Jubba region, southern Somalia on November 29. The militants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) and attacked the base with small arms. Hosingow is located approximately 20 miles from the Somali-Kenyan border.^[6] 

South Sudanese tribal militants killed over fifty ethnic Dinka civilians in the Jonglei state, eastern South Sudan on November 27 and 28. The militants are members of the rival Murle tribe in the Boma state, South Sudan. The Dinka and Murle tribes signed a peace agreement to cease hostilities in December 2016 but broke the accord in March 2017 after Dinka militants captured a Murle-majority city in the Boma state. The Dinka tribe is the largest in South Sudan, comprising over 35% of the population including South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.^[7]