Gulf of Aden Security Review - July 18, 2018

Yemen: Al Houthi forces claim to attack Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh with new drone; militants shell military camp in Ma’rib during Hadi government vice president visit; al Houthi movement leader reiterates willingness to transfer al Hudaydah port to UN administration; AQAP militants shell al Hizam Security Forces base in Abyan governorate; Saudi Air Defense Force intercepts al Houthi ballistic missile targeting Najran city, southern Saudi Arabia

Horn of Africa: European governments pledge continued financial assistance to Somalia

Yemen Security Brief

Al Houthi forces attacked a Saudi Aramco refinery in Riyadh with a new long-range drone named Samad 2 on July 18, according to al Houthi media. An Aramco official reported a small fire at the facility due to “an operational incident” on July 18.^[1]

Militants shelled a military training camp in Ma’rib governorate, northern Yemen on July 18. Hadi government Vice President Ali Mohsen al Ahmar was visiting the camp at the time of the attack. The mortar fire killed the military attaché for the Yemeni Embassy in Bahrain Mohammed Saleh al Ahmar.^[2]

Al Houthi movement leader Abdul Malik al Houthi announced on July 17 that he agreed to a UN proposal to transfer al Hudaydah port to UN administration if the UAE ends its offensive on al Hudaydah. Yemeni Foreign Minister Khalid al Yamani reiterated the Hadi government’s demand that al Houthi forces must fully withdrawal from the Red Sea coast and allow Hadi government ministry of interior officials to supervise al Hudaydah port on July 17. Al Yamani added that the Hadi government is willing to use military force if the al Houthi movement does not agree to the proposal.^[3]

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants shelled an al Hizam Security Forces camp in al Mahfad district, Abyan governorate, southern Yemen on July 18. Al Hizam Security Forces deployed additional troops to the district in response to the attack.^[4]  

Al Houthi forces fired a ballistic missile at Najran city, Najran region, southern Saudi Arabia on July 18. Saudi air defense systems intercepted the missile, according to Saudi-led coalition Spokesperson Colonel Turki al Maliki. Al Maliki noted the missile was fired from Sa’ada city, northern Yemen.^[5]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

The European Union (EU) pledged 200 million euros to support Somalia’s political and economic stabilization during a conference in Brussels. The EU also pledged 114 million euros to fund the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces fighting al Shabaab. The Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs additionally pledged to double Sweden’s assistance to the country to $350 million over the next five years. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo stated his commitment to holding a multi-party election in 2020, promising a “one-vote, one-person” policy. ^[6]