Gulf of Aden Security Review

Yemen:  Hadi government–aligned forces claim seizing al Houthi–held territory in al Jawf governorate; anti–al Houthi forces attack al Houthis in al Bayda governorate; Hadi government–aligned forces reportedly kill al Houthis in Dhaleh governorate

Horn of Africa: Ethiopia’s government deploys troops to Tigray regional state; al Shabaab holds anti-French rallies in Somalia; Ethiopian Oromo rebels allegedly attack Amhara villages in Oromia regional state; al Shabaab militants ambush SNA base in Lower Jubba region

Yemen Security Brief:

Forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi claimed to seize al Houthi–held territory north of al Khanjar camp in northern Yemen’s al Jawf governorate on November 3. This territory is east of al Hazm city, the capital of al Jawf governorate. Pro-Hadi government media claimed Hadi government–aligned forces surrounded al Hazm city on November 1.[1]

Anti–al Houthi forces ambushed al Houthi militants in the Dhi Madahi area in al Sawma’ah district in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed attacking al Houthi militants in al Sawma’ah district on November 2.[2]

Hadi government–aligned forces and the Saudi-led coalition reportedly killed 30 al Houthi militants in central Yemen’s Dhaleh governorate between November 3 and 4. Hadi government–aligned forces claimed repelling a large-scale al Houthi assault in Dhaleh governorate in late October.[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief:

Ethiopia’s prime minister deployed Ethiopian troops to Tigray regional state’s capital city, Mekelle, on November 4. He declared a “military confrontation” after accusing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, a party that dominated Ethiopia’s political scene for nearly three decades, of attacking a federal military base. The Ethiopian government also declared a six-month state of emergency in Tigray regional state. Tigray’s president warned on November 2 that Ethiopian troops would attack the region after its administration defied the federal government’s orders to delay nationwide elections.[4]

Al Shabaab organized anti-French rallies across its controlled territory in central and southern Somalia on November 2 and 3, respectively. Al Shabaab officials also expressed support for anti-French attacks in France. Al Shabaab held anti-French demonstrations in Somalia in late October.[v]

Ethiopian Oromo Liberation Army rebels allegedly attacked three ethnic Amhara villages in Oromia regional state’s West Wellega Zone in southern Ethiopia on November 1. The attack caused at least fifty-four civilian deaths. Ethiopian federal and regional security forces used tear gas and batons to disband a protest against ethnic Amhara violence in Ethiopia’s northwestern Amhara regional state in late October.[6]

Al Shabaab militants allegedly fired several mortar rockets at a Somali National Army (SNA) base in Abdale Birole area outside of Kismayo city in Lower Jubba region in southern Somalia. Al Shabaab militants reportedly ambushed a Jubbaland State convoy outside Kismayo city in late October.[7]