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: Saudi-led coalition claims intercepting multiple al Houthi drones targeting southwestern Saudi Arabia; Hadi government–aligned forces and al Houthis clash in Ma’rib governorate; anti–al Houthi forces and al Houthis clash in Sana’a governorate; Saudi-led coalition reportedly launches airstrikes targeting al Houthi positions in al Jawf governorate
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab holds protests in its controlled territories across central and southern Somalia over controversial references to Prophet Mohammed in France; Somali security forces claim killing top al Shabaab commander and several militants in Lower Shabelle region; suspected al Shabaab militants detonate IED in Galgudud region
Yemen Security Brief:
The Saudi-led coalition claimed intercepting multiple al Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia in late October. Coalition officials claimed intercepting one al Houthi drone on October 26, two al Houthi drones on October 25, and three al Houthi drones on October 24. An al Houthi military spokesman claimed that multiple drones targeted the King Khaled Air Base and Abha and Jizan airports in southwestern Saudi Arabia on October 24. Coalition forces previously claimed intercepting al Houthi drones on October 23.[1]
Forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi clashed with al Houthi militants in northern Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate in Sirwah and Jabal Murad districts on October 23 and 24. Anti–al Houthi media reported that Hadi government–aligned forces withdrew from the Jabal Murad mountain and that al Houthi militants claimed control of the mountain’s surrounding territory. Al Houthis militants allegedly attacked local anti–al Houthi tribes in Ma’rib governorate on October 20.[2]
Al Houthi militants and anti–al Houthi forces clashed in Nihm district in central Yemen’s Sana’a governorate on October 26. Anti–al Houthi forces clashed with al Houthi militants in Nihm district in September.[3]
The Saudi-led coalition reportedly conducted four airstrikes targeting al Houthi militants in Khub wa al Shaf district in northern Yemen’s al Jawf governorate on October 24. Hadi government–aligned forces claimed intercepting an al Houthi surveillance drone in Khub wa al Shaf district on October 22.[4]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Al Shabaab reported on October 25 that it held several demonstrations in its controlled territories across central and southern Somalia in response to controversial references to the Prophet Mohammed in France. These demonstrations follow the beheading of a teacher in the French capital in mid-October who showed controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed during class.[5]
Somalia’s Danab special forces allegedly killed a top al Shabaab commander in Afgoi town in Lower Shabelle region on October 24. Somali National Army (SNA) forces allegedly killed six al Shabaab militants between Afgoi and Balad town in Lower Shabelle region on the same day. SNA forces reportedly seized an al Shabaab base in in Wanlaweyn district in Lower Shabelle region on October 20.[6]
Suspected al Shabaab militants detonated an improvised explosive device in Somalia’s central Galgudud region on October 25. The explosion allegedly killed four children. Suspected al Shabaab militants targeted a SNA convoy in Galgudud region in late September.[7]
[1] “Yemen’s Houthis targeted two airports in Saudi Arabia,” Reuters, October 24, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-saudi-houthis/update-2-yemens-houthis-targeted-two-airports-and-a-base-in-saudi-arabia-spokesman-idUSL1N2HF0DQ; “For the second day…the Houthis target King Khalid Air Base,” Al Bawaba, October 25, 2020, https://www.albawaba.com/ar/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D9%84%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%84%D9%83-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9-1388729; “Saudi Arabia says intercepts Houthi drones aimed at southern region,” Reuters, October 25, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security/saudi-arabia-says-intercepts-houthi-drones-aimed-at-southern-region-idUSKBN27A0N1; “Saudi-led coalition says intercepted drone launched by Yemen’s Houthis - Saudi state TV,” Reuters, October 26, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-saudi-int/saudi-led-coalition-says-intercepted-drone-launched-by-yemens-houthis-saudi-state-tv-idUSKBN27B0U5; and Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 23, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, October 23, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-23-2020.
[2] “The Saudi aggression launched a series of raids on the govern orates of Ma’rib and al Jawf,” Al Alam TV, October 24, 2020, https://www.alalamtv.net/news/5237706; “The return of confrontations in Ma’rib, eastern Yemen, between the legitimacy and the Houthis,” Al Araby, October 23, 2020, https://www.alaraby.co.uk/node/1088409; “The Houthis control strategic sites…Hadi forces hand over their positions to the Houthis in Marib and attack Abyan,” 7adramout, October 26, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/alyoum8/7515584/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B9%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%85-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86.html; and Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 21, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at American Enterprise Institute, October 21, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-21-2020.
[3] “Urgent: Armed confrontations broke out between the Houthis and the army east of Sana’a, and the militia rushed to reinforce its fronts,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, October 26, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/183096; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – September 23, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, September 23, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-september-23-2020.
[4] “The Saudi aggression launched a series of raids on the govern orates of Ma’rib and al Jawf,” Al Alam TV, October 24, 2020, https://www.alalamtv.net/news/5237706; Hannah Kuperman and Sarah Gordon, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 23, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, October 23, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-october-23-2020.
[5] “Shabaab Reports Demonstrations in Held Territories Condemning France, Inciting Revenge for Insults to Islam,” SITE Intelligence Group, October 26, 2020, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and “Multiple People Injured in Knife Attack Outside Former Charlie Hebdo Offices,” Washington Post, September 25, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/multiple-people-injured-in-knife-attack-outside-former-charlie-hebdo-offices/2020/09/25/a152d4ce-ff1d-11ea-b0e4-350e4e60cc91_story.html.
[6] “Top Al-Shabaab Commander Killed in Somalia Raid,” Garowe, October 24, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/top-al-shabaab-commander-killed-in-somalia-raid; “Somali Army Kills Six Militants in Operation,” Mareeg, October 24, 2020, https://mareeg.com/somali-army-kills-six-militants-in-operation-2/; 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,
[7] “Four School Children Killed in Somalia Explosion,” Mareeg, October 25, 2020, https://mareeg.com/four-school-children-killed-in-somalia-explosion/; and “Army Kills Several Al-Shabaab Militants in Central Somalia,” Garowe, September 22, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/army-kills-several-al-shabaab-militants-in-central-somalia.
