Gulf of Aden Security Review - March 31, 2015

Yemen: Al Houthis exchange fire with Saudis near Saudi-Yemeni border; Operation Decisive Storm airstrikes continue to pound Yemen; al Houthis clash with pro-Hadi forces in Aden

Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab intelligence official surrenders in Bakool region; unknown gunmen kill Ugandan prosecutor in Kampala; security forces conduct security operation in Lower Jubba region

Yemen Security Brief

• Al Houthi militants exchanged artillery and rocket fire with Saudi forces along the Saudi-Yemeni border on March 31. The strikes were focused in Shida and al Hisama, Sa’ada as well as Haradh, Hajjah, where a Saudi airstrike hit a refugee camp on March 30. There are no casualty reports available from the exchanges.[1]

• Saudi-led Operation Decisive Storm continued airstrikes against al Houthi targets throughout Yemen on March 31. Strikes continued to target al Houthi sites in Sa’ada city and the capital, Sana’a. Strikes also targeted the 33rd Armored Brigade in al Dhaleh city, al Dhaleh, an al Houthi military convoy in Yarim, Ibb, as well as al Houthi sites in Bayhan, Shabwah and Aden city, near Aden International Airport. Airstrikes in the evening of March 30 targeted Taiz Airport in Taiz city as well as a military camp in Attan, south of the capital, Sana’a.[2]

• Al Houthi militants fired artillery at pro-Hadi targets in Khormaksar, Aden city, Aden overnight on March 30 and reportedly took control of al Arish following clashes with pro-Hadi forces. The shelling killed an estimated 36 people. Saudi-led coalition aircraft retaliated by targeting al Houthi positions in Aden city.[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• The al Shabaab intelligence head for Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions, Mohammed Ali Hassan, surrendered to Somali government forces in Hudur, Bakool region on March 30. The Somali government offers amnesty to al Shabaab members who surrender.[4]

• Unknown gunmen killed a Ugandan prosecutor in Kampala, Uganda on March 30. The prosecutor, Joan Kagezi, was the chief prosecutor in the trial of suspected al Shabaab militants who are accused of carrying out attacks in Kampala in July 2010 which killed 79 people. No one has claimed credit for the killing.[5]

• Security forces in Kismayo, Lower Jubba region arrested dozens of suspected al Shabaab militants on March 30. The operation comes after suspected al Shabaab gunmen attacked the regional intelligence service office in the city.[6]