Yemen: Hadi government minister accuses UAE of supporting AQAP and the Islamic State in Yemen
Horn of Africa: AFRICOM conducts airstrike targeting al Shabaab in Lower Jubba region; SNA conducts operations against al Shabaab in Hiraan and Lower Jubba regions; SFG President oversees closing ceremony of Galmudug State political reconciliation conference
Yemen Security Brief
President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s Minister of Transportation, Saleh al Jabwani, accused the UAE of supporting al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State in Yemen on September 18. Jabwani claimed to have evidence linking specific Emirati individuals to the groups. Jabwani claimed that the UAE is using the terrorist organizations to attack Hadi government-aligned forces in Shabwah and Abyan governorates in southern Yemen. Hadi government aligned-forces have clashed with UAE-backed southern Yemeni separatists in these governorates since August.[1]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting al Shabaab militants near , a port city and the capital of Lower Jubba region in southern Somalia, on September 17. AFRICOM conducted the strike after al Shabaab militants attacked a Somali National Army (SNA) patrol in the area. The strike killed two militants.[2]
SNA troops conducted an operation targeting al Shabaab militants between Jalalaqsi and Bulo Burde towns in Hiraan region in central Somalia on September 18. The SNA killed two senior al Shabaab commanders, including Ibrahim Abdi Tureey, the group’s leader in Hiraan region. SNA forces and Jubbaland Security Forces separately conducted an operation targeting al Shabaab in the Bandar Jadid area near Arare town in Lower Jubba region on September 18, killing 15 militants.[3]
Somali Federal Government (SFG) President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo oversaw the closing ceremony of a reconciliation conference between rival political factions in Galmudug State in north-central Somalia on September 18. Farmajo stated that Galmudug is transitioning to a united administration after months of feuding between political factions that both claim to be the state’s legitimate administration.[4]
[1] “Yemen Minister: The UAE are connected to al Qaeda and ISIS”, al Bawaba, September 18, 2019, https://www.albawaba.com/ar/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4-1309549.
[2] “Somali, U.S. forces engage insurgents in support of the Federal Government of Somalia,” United States Africa Command, September 17, 2019, https://www.africom.mil/media-room/pressrelease/32218/somali-u-s-forces-engage-insurgents-in-support-of-the-federal-government-of-somalia; and “US airstrike in Somalia kills at least two Al-Shabaab militants,” Radio Shabelle, September 18, 2019, https://www.radioshabelle.com/us-airstrike-in-somalia-kills-at-least-two-al-shabaab-militants/.
[3] “Senior Shabaab leader killed in Hiiraan, 15 others felled in Lower Jubba by Somali forces,” Goobjoog, September 18, 2019, http://goobjoog.com/english/senior-shabaab-leader-killed-in-hiiraan-15-others-felled-in-lower-jubba-by-somali-forces/.
[4] “President Farmaajo closes Galmudug reconciliation conference,” Goobjoog, September 17, 2019, http://goobjoog.com/english/president-of-the-fg-closes-galmudug-reconciliation-conference/.