Yemen: Hadi government forces advance in Sana’a governorate; Saudi-led coalition forces launch airstrikes on al Houthis in Ma’rib governorate; Hadi government forces claim capturing al Houthi-held territory in al Bayda governorate
Horn of Africa: Jubbaland State president reconciles with political rivals; Somali officials accuse detained journalist of al Shabaab membership
Yemen Security Brief:
Forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi reportedly advanced in Nihm district in Sana’a governorate on April 23. Hadi government forces claimed capturing al Houthi-controlled sites including Salb mountain near al Jawf junction in Nihm during clashes with al Houthi militants. Al Houthi militants seized Nihm district in Sana’a governorate in late January.[1]
Saudi-led coalition forces launched airstrikes on al Houthi militants in Sirwah district in Ma’rib governorate in northern Yemen on April 23, claiming that al Houthi militants were attempting to capture Saudi-led coalition sites in Sirwah. Saudi-backed Hadi government forces claimed recapturing several al Houthi-held areas in Sirwah in late March.[2]
Saudi-backed Hadi government forces claimed gaining control of al Houthi-held territories in Mukayris district in al Bayda governorate in southern Yemen. Al Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea released a statement on April 21 claiming al Houthi militants caused Saudi-backed Hadi government force casualties during clashes in al Bayda governorate.[3]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Somalia’s Jubbaland State President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe signed a reconciliation deal with three Jubbaland State opposition politicians at a summit in Kenya’s capital Nairobi on April 23. The opposition politicians agreed to recognize Madobe’s legitimacy as Jubbaland State’s president and Madobe promised not to seek a third presidential term. The signatories called on the Somali Federal Government to recognize Madobe’s legitimacy, which has not yet recognized his presidency since Jubbaland State’s 2019 presidential elections, calling them unconstitutional.[4]
Somalia’s Ministry of Information released a statement on April 22 accusing a detained journalist of being a member of al Shabaab. The statement claimed that the journalist participated in the murder of a civilian in Bondhere district of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu in March 2019 and arrested him in late February. Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency accused another prominent Somali journalist of having contact with al Shabaab in early April.[5]
[1] “The national army controls important positions at the core of Nahham and its close to al-jouf junction,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, April 23, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/164056; and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - January 27, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, January 27, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-january-27-2020.
[2] “Clashes intensify in Sarwah after the militia attempts to advance,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, April 23, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/164039; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - April 1, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 1, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-1-2020.
[3] “Government forces control new locations in al-Bayda and Abyan,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, April 23, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/164048; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - April 22, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 22, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-22-2020.
[4] “Jubaland president strikes deal with opponents to end political stalemate,” Garowe, April 23, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-jubaland-president-strikes-deal-with-opponents-to-end-political-stalemate; and Geoffrey Lamear, Grace Anderson and Andrew Larsen, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - August 22, 2019,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 22, 2019, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-22-2019.
[5] “Somalia accuses detained journalist of being Al-Shabaab member,” Somali Affairs, April 22, 2020, https://www.somaliaffairs.com/news/somalia-accuses-detained-journalist-of-being-al-shabaab-member/; and Pamela Makadsi and Samuel Bloebaum, “Gulf of Aden Security Review - April 6, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, April 6, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-april-6-2020.