Yemen: Hadi government forces seize multiple al Houthi positions in Taiz governorate; Saudi air defenses intercept al Houthi ballistic missile over Jizan region, Saudi Arabia

Horn of Africa: ISIS militants assassinate Somali intelligence agent in Bakara Market, Mogadishu; floods affect over 427,000 people across Somalia; SNA soldiers sell weapons stolen from former UAE base in Mogadishu

Yemen Security Brief

Hadi government forces seized multiple al Houthi positions in eastern Taiz governorate, southwestern Yemen on April 26, according to anti-al Houthi sources. Troops from the Second Brigade of the Fourth Military District backed by Saudi-led coalition forces took control of al Houthi positions surrounding al Rahidah area, Dimnat Khadir district, Taiz. Coalition-backed forces are conducting offensives in western Taiz governorate and Taiz city to take control of al Houthi supply lines to al Hudaydah port.[1]

Saudi air defenses intercepted an al Houthi ballistic missile over Jizan region, southwestern Saudi Arabia on April 27, according to Saudi media. The al Houthi movement did not claim the missile launch.[2]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

ISIS militants assassinated a Somali intelligence agent in Bakara Market, Mogadishu, Somalia on April 25. ISIS-linked Amaq News Agency released photographs of the assassination on April 26. Somali police recently arrested an ISIS militant in Mogadishu on April 24 after months of denying the presence of ISIS-affiliated militants in southern and central Somalia. Al Shabaab militants also assassinated a Somali intelligence agent in Waberi district, Mogadishu on April 25.[3] 

Floods across Somalia have affected over 427,000 Somalis in April, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The NRC warned on April 27 that the conditions could cause an outbreak of diseases, including cholera and malaria. Floods displaced thousands of people in Middle Shabelle, Southwest, Jubbaland, and Banadir regions.[4]

Somali National Army soldiers sold weapons looted from a former Emirati military training camp in Mogadishu in open markets, according to a Reuters report on April 25. The UAE ended its military training program in Somalia on April 15 after Somali security forces seized $9.6 million from a UAE plane on April 8. SNA forces clashed with each other at the UAE’s base in Mogadishu after Emirati-trained soldiers attempted to loot the base of Emirati weapons on April 23. The soldiers reportedly stole over 600 weapons from General Gordon military training camp. The Somali Federal Government (SFG) denied the reports.[5]

[1] “Yemeni army frees 10 new sites in Taiz,” Aden Lang, April 26, 2018, http://adnlng.info/news/93164/. 
[2] “Saudi air defense intercepts Ansar Allah missile over Jizan,” Sputnik, April 27, 2018, https://arabic.sputniknews.com/arab_world/201804271031950622-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B6-%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AE%D8%A7-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D9%81%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%86/; and “Intercepting a missile fired by the Houthi militias towards Jizan,” Okaz, April 27, 2018, https://www.okaz.com.sa/article/1636260/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AE-%D8%A3%D8%B7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A-%D9%86%D8%AD%D9%88-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%86.
[3] “IS Shows Assassination of Somali Intel Agent in Mogadishu,” SITE Intelligence Group, April 26, 2018, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and ISIS militants assassinate a Somali intelligence agent in Mogadishu, Telegram, April 26, 2018.
[4] “Heavy flooding hammers vulnerable communities in Somalia,” Norwegian Refugee Council, April 27, https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/heavy-flooding-hammers-vulnerable-communities-somalia; “Over 427,000 people affected by floods across Somalia,” Radio Shabelle, April 27, 2018, http://radioshabelle.com/over-427000-people-affected-by-floods-across-somalia/; and “Thousands at risk as floods wreak havoc across Somalia,” Goobjoog, April 27, 2018, http://goobjoog.com/english/thousands-at-risk-as-floods-wreak-havoc-across-somalia/.
[5] “Exclusive: Weapons stolen from UAE training facility in Somalia, sold on open market,” Reuters, April 25, 2018, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-somalia-arms/exclusive-weapons-stolen-from-uae-training-facility-in-somalia-sold-on-open-market-idUSKBN1HW26I; “Somalia Denies Looted Weapons On Sale In Mogadishu Streets,” Radio Dalsan, April 27, 2018, https://www.radiodalsan.com/en/2018/04/27/somalia-denies-looted-weapons-on-sale-in-mogadishu-streets/; and “Somalia denies weapons looted from UAE base,” Mareeg, April 27, 2018, https://mareeg.com/somalia-denies-weapons-looted-from-uae-base/.

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