Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 28, 2014

Yemen: Ansar al Sharia militants regain control of territory in al Bayda; Al Houthi militants fought with local tribesmen in Ibb; Defense Minister announces new military leadership appointments; citizens protest al Houthi checkpoints in Sana’a

Horn of Africa: AMISOM forces conduct airstrikes targeting al Shabaab in Lower Jubba region; Somali security forces conduct security operation in Mogadishu; Somali National Army forces clashed with unidentified militants in Middle Shabelle region; Somali security forces clash with protestors in Bay region

Yemen Security Brief

• Ansar al Sharia militants regained control of al Manaseh, al Bayda on October 27, after al Houthi gunmen had seized control of the city on October 26. No casualties were reported during the incident.[1]

• Al Houthi militants fought with local tribesmen in al Radma, Ibb, a small city 150 km south of Sana’a, on October 28, resulting in the deaths of at least five people. Local tribesmen also accused Yemen’s 55th Brigade of voluntarily handing over their military base in nearby Yarim, Ibb to the al Houthis.[2]

• Yemeni Minister of Defense, Major General Mohammed Nasser Ahmed, appointed on October 28 Colonel Mansour Mohsen Ahmar as the commander of the 35th Armored Brigade in Taiz, Colonel Dahani Hamoud Naji as commander of the 39th Armored Brigade, and Brigadier General Yusuf Mohamed Ali al Shiraji as Assistant to the Director of Military Operations.[3]

• Citizens protested the presence of al Houthi checkpoints in Sana’a on October 28 and demanded that State Security services perform their duties.[4] 

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Kenyan African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces launched airstrikes against al Shabaab militants in multiple villages in Lower Jubba region, including Bhirta Dheer, Janaay Abdalla and Kuda Island on October 28, resulting in an unknown number of casualties.[5]

• Somali security forces conducted security operation in the Hawl Wadag district of Mogadishu on October 27. The operation occured on the same day as a car bomb was detonated in Mogadishu along Makka al Mukarama Road.[6]

• Somali National Army (SNA) forces clashed with unidentified militants in Rage Ceel, Middle Shabelle region on October 26, resulting in six deaths.[7]

• Somali security forces clashed with protestors in Baidoa, Bay region on October 28, resulting in the death of two civilians. The civilians demonstrated against the visit of Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.[8]