Gulf of Aden Security Review - November 26, 2014

Yemen: Al Houthis seize tribal leader’s house in Sana’a; AQAP attacks military in Shabwah; tribesmen blow up oil pipeline in Ma’rib.

Horn of Africa: U.S. Department of State warns of terror threats in Djibouti; AMISOM and Somali security forces arrest suspected al Shabaab militants in Hiiraan region and Mogadishu.

Yemen Security Brief 

• Al Houthi militants seized the house of Sam al Ahmar and fought with al Ahmar family members on November 26 in the al Hasbah neighborhood in central Sana’a. Al Houthi militants detained Sam al Ahmar, accusing him of having killed al Houthis. Fighting between al Houthis and al Ahmar family members killed an estimated five and wounded one other.[1]

• Suspected al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants attacked a military camp in Mayfa’a in Shabwah on November 26, resulting in an unknown number of casualties. The attack coincided with a visit by the Minister of Defense to Shabwah.[2]

• Armed tribesmen blew up a section of Yemen’s main oil pipeline in Sarwah, western Ma’rib on November 26. The attack brought the pipeline’s oil flow to a complete halt.[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• The U.S. Embassy to Djibouti issued a security message to U.S. citizens in country on November 25, warning of threats of targeted attacks on government facilities and well-populated commercial entities. The Al Shabaab militant group has carried out attacks on the country in the past, including the May 24 grenade attack in the capital city Djibouti.[4]  

• Somali security forces and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops conducted security operations in Mahas, Hiraan region on November 26, arresting more than 10 al Shabaab militants. Separately, AMISOM and Somali security forces launched a security operation in the Hodan district of Mogadishu on November 26, reportedly arresting dozens of suspected al Shabaab militants.[5]