Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 22, 2020

Yemen: Saudi Arabia reportedly proposes new power-sharing agreement between Hadi government and STC; Saudi-led coalition forces launch airstrike targeting al Houthi positions in Amran governorate; Hadi government forces claim repelling al Houthis in Sana’a governorate; Hadi government forces exchange artillery with STC forces in Abyan governorate; Hadi government forces clash with al Houthis in al Bayda governorate; al Houthis reportedly clash among themselves in al Bayda governorate

Horn of Africa: AFRICOM conducts airstrike targeting IS Somalia militants in northeastern Somalia; Ugandan AMISOM forces deploy helicopters to Somalia

Yemen Security Brief:

An official from the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi claimed that the Saudi government proposed a new power-sharing agreement between Hadi’s government and the Transitional Political Council of the South (STC) during negotiations in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Al Jazeera reported that the new agreement is called the Ritz Agreement and covers the political side of the November 2019 Riyadh Agreement. The Riyadh Agreement stipulated a power-sharing agreement between Hadi’s government and the STC that included forming a new government between the two. The STC and Hadi’s government resumed negotiations to implement the Riyadh Agreement in early July, according to local media.[1]

Saudi-led coalition forces reportedly launched an airstrike targeting al Houthi positions in Iyal Surayh district in northern Yemen’s Amran governorate on July 22. The airstrike allegedly targeted a communications network. A Saudi-led coalition spokesman claimed coalition forces destroyed al Houthi missile and drone sites in Amran governorate in mid-June.[2]

Hadi government forces claimed repelling al Houthi militants and shooting down an al Houthi drone in Nihm district in central Yemen’s Sana'a governorate on July 20. Hadi government forces claimed taking territory from al Houthi militants in Nihm district in early July.[3]

Hadi government forces exchanged artillery with STC-aligned forces in Zinjibar district in southern Yemen’s Abyan governorate on July 21. Hadi government-aligned forces previously attacked STC-aligned forces in Abyan governorate on July 16.[4]

Hadi government forces clashed with al Houthi militants in Qaniya front in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate on July 20. The al Houthi movement reportedly sent reinforcements to Qaniya front on July 16.[5]

Al Houthi militants reportedly clashed among themselves in Rada'a city in al Bayda governorate on July 18. The clashes occurred when a faction of al Houthi militants attempted to free its members from an al Houthi prison. Al Houthi militants previously clashed among themselves in Yemen’s capital, Sana'a, on July 14.[6]

Horn of Africa Security Brief:

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting Islamic State in Somalia militants in coordination with a Puntland State security forces raid near Timirshe in northern Somalia’s Bari region on July 21. The airstrike killed seven Islamic State fighters. The Puntland State raid killed at least eight Islamic State militants and captured two trucks carrying food and explosives. Puntland State security forces reportedly foiled an Islamic State Somalia attack in Boosaaso in Bari region in early May.[7]

The Ugandan People’s Defense Force (UPDF) announced plans to deploy military helicopters to support its African Union Mission to Somalia contingent in southern Somalia. A UPDF spokesman said that the helicopters will allow its forces to gather intelligence on al Shabaab and quickly respond to its attacks. The UPDF previously attempted deploying helicopters to Somalia in 2012 but three of its four helicopters crashed en route to Mogadishu.[8]