Yemen: Saudi military shoots down al Houthi drone in southern Saudi Arabia; AQAP raids Emirati-backed forces’ site in Abyan governorate

Horn of Africa: Air strike targets al Shabaab in Bay region; U.S.-backed SNA forces raid al Shabaab camp in Middle Shabelle region; unknown gunmen kill community leader in Boosaaso

Yemen Security Brief

Saudi air defense systems shot down an al Houthi Movement drone flying from Yemen toward Abha city, the capital of Asir region in southern Saudi Arabia, on March 8. The drone’s intended target is unknown.[1]

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) raided an Emirati-backed al Hizam security forces’ site in al Mahfad district in Abyan governorate in southern Yemen on March 7. An al Hizam commander stated that the attack did not cause any casualties because al Hizam forces had withdrawn from the area two weeks ago.[2]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

Unknown fighter jets conducted an airstrike targeting al Shabaab foreign fighters in the Bur Madow area of Bay region in southwestern Somalia on March 8. The number of casualties is unknown.[3]

U.S.-backed Somali National Army (SNA) forces attacked an al Shabaab camp in Gambole village in Middle Shabelle region in southern Somalia on March 8. U.S. aircraft conducted an airstrike in support of the operation, which killed eight militants.[4]

Unknown gunmen killed a community leader at a mosque in Boosaaso town, the commercial capital of the Puntland region in northern Somalia, on March 8. The gunmen also threw a grenade at a security checkpoint in the town. Puntland security forces are investigating the assassination.[5]

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[1] Sylvia Westall, “Saudis shot down drone aimed at kingdom, Saudi TV reports,” Reuters, March 8, 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security/saudis-shoot-down-drone-aimed-at-kingdom-saudi-tv-reports-idUSKCN1QP1CY.

[2] “Al Qaeda attack on abandoned security site in al Mahfad,” al Ittihad, March 7, 2019, https://www.alittihad.ae/article/14459/2019/%D9%87%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%84%D9%80-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B9-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%81%D8%AF.

[3] “Fighter jets hit al Shabaab foreign fighters in Somalia,” Mareeg, March 8, 2019, https://mareeg.com/fighter-jets-hit-al-shabaab-foreign-fighters-in-somalia/.

[4] Harun Maruf, Twitter, March 8, 2019, https://twitter.com/HarunMaruf/status/1104032729354653696.

[5] “Somalia: Renowned elder shot dead in Bosaso town,” Mareeg, March 8, 2019, https://mareeg.com/somalia-renowned-elder-shot-dead-in-bosaso-town/.

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