Yemen: Saudi-led coalition intercepts al Houthi drone targeting airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia; prisoner exchange talks between Hadi government and al Houthis begin in Geneva; Hadi government–aligned forces clash with al Houthis in Ma’rib governorate
Horn of Africa: Somali military court convicts al Shabaab militant involved in Manda Bay attack; suspected al Shabaab militants assassinate regional official in Middle Shabelle region; unidentified gunmen shoot and kill teachers in Middle Shabelle region
Yemen Security Brief:
Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted an al Houthi drone targeting Abha airport in the kingdom’s southwestern Asir region on September 17. The al Houthi movement previously launched drones targeting the airport on September 9.[1]
Local Yemeni media reported that an al Houthi delegation and a delegation from the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi began meetings in the Swizz Capital of Geneva on September 18. An al Houthi delegation flew from the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, to Switzerland on September 15.[2]
Hadi government–aligned forces clashed with al Houthi militants on al Makhdara front, west of Sirwah district, in northern Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate on September 17. Hadi government–aligned forces claimed retaking al Houthi–held territory on al Makhdara front in early September.[3]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
A Somali military court convicted an al Shabaab militant to life in prison for participating in the Manda Bay attack on a military base housing US soldiers in January. The militant said he joined the group in 2010 and helped transport explosives used in the attack, which killed three Americans.[4]
Suspected al Shabaab militants assassinated a regional minister for the ministry of religious affairs in Jowhar in central Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region on September 17. Al Shabaab claimed killing a regional official in Jowhar in mid-August.[5]
Unknown gunmen shot and killed at least five teachers at a Qur’anic school in Adale town in Middle Shabelle region on September 17. Local media reported that the shooting is likely related to clan clashes.[6]
[1] “The Houthis announce the bombing of a military target in Abha airport, and Saudi Arabia confirms thwarting an air attack,” Al Jazeera, September 17, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.net/news/politics/2020/9/17/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d9%88%d8%ab%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%86%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%82%d8%b5%d9%81-%d9%87%d8%af%d9%81-%d8%b9%d8%b3%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d9%85%d8%b7%d8%a7%d8%b1; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – September 9, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, September 9, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-september-9-2020.
[2] “Urgent: The start of a meeting between the legitimate delegation and Houthis,” Mareb Press, September 18, 2020, https://marebpress.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=167257; “Talks between government of Sana’a and Hadi in Switzerland on prisoner exchange,” Alalam TV, September 18, 2020, https://www.alalamtv.net/news/5166471; and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – September 16, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, September 16, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-september-16-2020.
[3] “Battle developments on al Makhdara and al Majmu’a fronts in Ma’rib,” Khabar Agency, September 18, 2020, https://www.khabaragency.net/news132360.html; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – September 4, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, September 4, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-september-4-2020.
[4] “Somalia: Militant plotted raid at US Base in Kenya slapped with life in jail,” Garowe, September 18, 2020, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-militant-plotted-raid-at-us-base-in-kenya-slapped-with-life-in-jail; “Al-Shabab militant jailed for attack on US base in Kenya,” Hiiraan, September 17, 2020, http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2020/Sept/179979/al_shabab_militant_jailed_for_attack_on_us_base_in_kenya.aspx; and Emily Estelle, “Africa File,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, January 10, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/africa-file/africa-file-january-9-2020-briefing.
[5] “Regional minister killed in Somalia,” Radio Shabelle, September 17, 2020, https://www.radioshabelle.com/regional-minister-killed-in-somalia/; and Matthew Eady and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 19, 2020,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, August 19, 2020, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-august-19-2020.
[6] “At least five teachers killed in Somalia,” Mareeg, September 17, 2020, https://mareeg.com/at-least-five-teachers-killed-by-gunmen-in-somalia/; and “Five Quran teachers dead in Middle Shabelle fighting,” Hiiraan, September 17, 2020, http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2020/Sept/179994/five_quran_teachers_dead_in_middle_shabelle_fighting.aspx.