Yemen: Biden administration suspends some sanctions targeting al Houthis; anti–al Houthi forces claim to kill al Houthis in al Bayda governorate
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab claims landmine explosion in Middle Shabelle region; SNA kills seven al Shabaab militants in Bay region
Yemen Security Brief:
The US Biden administration suspended some sanctions on the al Houthi movement on January 25. The Department of the Treasury will exempt some of the sanctions former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo imposed on the al Houthi movement in mid-January until February 26.[i]
Anti–al Houthi forces claimed to kill al Houthi militants in al Malajam front in central Yemen’s al Bayda governorate on January 27.[ii]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
The Somali National Army killed at least seven al Shabaab militants in Seydelow town in southern Somalia’s Bay region on January 26.[iii]
Al Shabaab claimed a landmine explosion in Balad district in central Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region on January 27. The attack killed at least two Somali troops.[iv]
[i] Matthew Lee, “Biden administration suspends some sanctions on Yemen rebels,” Associated Press, January 25, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-iran-humanitarian-crises-united-nations-terrorism-c77483a6dc378efbbdc8f08d20dd795e; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – January 22, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, January 22, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-january-22-2021#_edn39fb78ba406ccee55d6e1dbcf9ba434446bbd2eedbabbfd324d5dfeb67c98f152.
[ii] “Several Houthi militiamen killed, injured in al Bayda,” 26 Sep, January 27, 2021, http://en.26sepnews.net/2021/01/27/several-houthi-militiamen-killed-injured-in-al-bayda.
[iii] “SNA kills 7 al-Shabab militants in Bay region,” Hiiraan, January 26, 2021, http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2021/Jan/181468/sna_kills_7_al_shabaab_militants_in_bay_region.aspx; and “Somali army kills militants in operation against al-Shabab,” Radio Shabelle, January 26, 2021, https://www.radioshabelle.com/somali-army-kills-militants-in-operation-against-al-shabaab/.
[iv] “Somalia: Explosion kills troops in Middle Shabelle,” Mareeg, January 27, 2021, https://mareeg.com/wararkii-ugu-dambeeyay-qarax-lagu-laayay-ciidamo-oo-ka-dhacay-sh-dhexe/.