Gulf of Aden Security Review - December 30, 2014

Yemen: Al Houthi militants may be readying to storm Taiz city; AQAP robs two banks in Hadramawt

Horn of Africa: US military conducts air strike targeting senior al Shabaab leader in Middle Jubba region; al Shabaab militants clash with SNA forces in Gedo region

Yemen Security Brief

• Armed al Houthi militants are reportedly stationed outside the southern entrance to the city of Taiz and have a large number of fighters stationed nearby in the city of al Qaeda, Ibb in preparation for storming Taiz. Government security forces have responded to the al Houthis by deploying a large number of forces around Taiz’s entrances. Previous al Houthi attempts to enter Taiz peacefully have been unsuccessful.[1]

• Suspected al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants attacked two banks in al Shahr, Hadramawt on December 30, wounding two guards and stealing an unknown amount of money.[2]

Horn of Africa Security Brief:

• The US military conducted an airstrike targeting a senior al Shabaab leader near Sakow, Middle Jubba region, on December 29. Pentagon spokesman Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby announced that the US officials are assessing the effectiveness of the strike but believe there were no civilian casualties. The strike comes two days after a senior al Shabaab member surrendered to the Somali Federal Government.[3]

• Somali National Army (SNA) forces reportedly clashed with al Shabaab militants in Bardere, Gedo region on December 30 following the surrender of former al Shabaab senior leader Zakariya Ahmed Ismali Hersi in the same locality on December 27. Separately, SNA and Ahlu Sunna forces seized Godindhawe, Gedo region from al Shabaab on December 30.[4]