Gulf of Aden Security Review - June 25, 2015

Yemen: Al Houthis kill three Saudi soldiers and Emirati soldier in shelling along Saudi-Yemeni border; suspected U.S. airstrike kills four AQAP militants in Hadramawt

Horn of Africa: ASWJ plans to establish Islamic court in Dhusamareb; Footage of al Shabaab’s June 14 clash with Kenyan troops released

Yemen Security Review

• Al Houthi militants killed three Saudi soldiers as well as an Emirati soldier in an attack along the Saudi-Yemeni border on June 25. The attack comes at a time of increased border clashes between the al Houthi movement and the Saudi military along the border.[1] 

• A suspected U.S. airstrike targeted al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants in al Mukalla, Hadramawt , on June 24. The airstrike is the first to occur after the June 17 killing of AQAP leader Nasser al Wahayshi.[2]

Horn of Africa Security Review

• Moderate Islamist group Ahlu Sunna wa al Jama’a (ASWJ) announced that they would establish an Islamic court in Dhusamareb, Galgudud region, on June 27. The group also announced that they would hold their own version of the central state building conference, which ASWJ left on June 10 and passed a plan for the new state of Galmudug on June 17. ASWJ has been holding Dhusamareb since June 7.[3]

• London’s ITV News released the footage found on British citizen Thomas Evan’s camera following al Shabaab militants’ June 14 clash with Kenyan troops in Lamu County. The footage shows an al Shabaab commander preparing the militants for the impending attack and Kenyan troops returning the militants’ fire, including the moment when officials believe Evans was shot and killed.[4]