Yemen: Hadi government–aligned forces claim retaking al Houthi–held areas in Ma’rib governorate; Hadi government–aligned forces claim killing several al Houthi militants in al Jawf governorate; Houthis reportedly kidnap civilians in al Bayda governorate
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab claims bombing US-Somali military convoy in Lower Jubba region; Kenyan Ministry of Interior freezes bank accounts belonging to suspected al Shabaab financiers
Yemen Security Brief:
Forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi claimed retaking several al Houthi–held areas on al Makhdara front, west of Sirwah district, in northern Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate on September 3. Hadi government–aligned forces clashed with al Houthi militants near Sirwah district in late August.[i]
Hadi government–aligned forces claimed killing several al Houthi militants on al Alam front in northern Yemen’s al Jawf governorate on September 4. Hadi government–aligned forces clashed with al Houthi militants in al Jawf governorate in late August.[ii]
Al Houthi militants reportedly kidnapped 11 civilians, including five children from a village in Quraishi district in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate between September 3 and 4. Al Houthi militants kidnapped 13 civilians from a village in Quraishi district in late August, according to local sources.[iii]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Al Shabaab claimed detonating two improvised explosive devices targeting a joint US-Somali military convoy in Bulo-Gadud outside Kismayo city in southern Somalia’s Lower Jubba region on September 3. Al Shabaab raided a military base housing US Africa Command and Somali National Army soldiers in Bar Sanguni village near Kismayo on August 30.[iv]
Kenya’s Ministry of Interior announced on September 3 that Kenyan authorities froze nine bank accounts belonging to suspected al Shabaab financiers. Two of the nine bank account holders are also suspected of being linked to the Islamic State’s financial network.[v]
[i] “Houthi positions fall in Ma’rib and a military commander announces great victories,” Mareb Press, September 3, 2020, https://marebpress.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=166916; “Ma’rib: Yemeni army regions locations in mountains,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, September 3, 2020, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/177596; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 26, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 26, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-26-2020-5f46d708c3357.
[ii] “Yemeni Army: Dozens of Houthis killed during clashes in al Jawf,” 7adramout, September 4, 2020, https://www.7adramout.net/al-ain/7482661/%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%86---%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%81.html; and Matthew Eady and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 21, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 21, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-21-2020.
[iii] “Houthis kidnapped 11 people, including 5 children in Quraishi, al Bayda,” Khabar Agency, September 4, 2020, https://www.khabaragency.net/news131652.html; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 24, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 24, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-24-2020.
[iv] “Shabaab claims bombing joint U.S.-Somali military convoy outside Kismayo,” SITE, September 3, 2020, https://ent.siteintelgroup.com/Statements/shabaab-claims-bombing-joint-u-s-somali-military-convoy-outside-kismayo.html; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 31, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 31, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-31-2020.
[v] “Kenya freezes bank accounts of suspected Al-Shabaab financiers,” Garowe, September 3, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/world/africa/kenya-freezes-bank-accounts-of-suspected-al-shabaab-financiers; and Jerry Omondi, “Kenya freezes assets of nine suspected terror financiers as it bolsters war on terrorism,” CGTN, September 3, 2020, https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/09/03/kenya-freezes-assets-of-nine-suspected-terror-financiers-as-it-bolsters-war-on-terrorism/.