Yemen: AQAP releases local bulletin; al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clash in Ma’rib governorate; UN-backed prisoner negotiations between Hadi’s government and al Houthi movement fail
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab attacks AMISOM base in Hiraan region; Somali opposition leaders protest federal presidential election delay
Yemen Security Brief:
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released the eight edition of a local bulletin on February 18. The bulletin primarily focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of right-wing and Salafi-jihadi ideologies globally. AQAP released a video featuring its leader Khaled Batarfi in mid-February.[i]
Al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clashed in the Raghwan front of central Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate on February 22. Al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clashed on the Hailan, al Mujahid, and al Kassara fronts in western Ma’rib governorate on February 21.[ii]
The UN announced that prisoner swap negotiations between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the al Houthi movement failed on February 21. This latest round of talks began in January to negotiate the release of 300 prisoners total from both sides.[iii]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Al Shabaab militants attacked an Ethiopian African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base in Halgan town in southern Somalia’s Hiraan region on February 21. Al Shabaab clashed with AMISOM troops in Beledweyne town in mid-January.[iv]
Somalia’s Council of Presidential Candidates appealed to the UN Security Council to force Somalia’s President to resign power to a National Transitional Council until federal presidential elections can be held. Opposition leaders scheduled a demonstration to protest the delayed elections in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on February 26. Somali security forces clashed with protestors in Mogadishu on February 19.[v]
[i] “AQAP focuses 8th issue of local bulletin on COVID-19, sees jihadi and far-right ideologies growing in tandem,” SITE Intelligence Group, February 19, 2021, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 12, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 12, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-12-2021.
[ii] “Yemeni forces control new areas of Marib,” Al Alam, February 22, 2021, https://www.alalamtv.net/news/5453393; “The Yemeni Army reveals the latest developments in its battles with the Houthi militia in Marib,” Al Mashhad al Yemeni, February 21, 2021, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/195383; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 19, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 19, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-19-2021.
[iii] “UN says no progress in Yemen talks over prisoner swaps,” The Tribune, February 22, 2021, http://www.tribtown.com/2021/02/22/ap-ml-yemen-2/; and Mohammed Ghobari, “Yemen prisoner swap talks ends without a deal,” Reuters, February 21, 2021, https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-yemen-security-prisoners/yemen-prisoner-swap-talks-ends-without-a-deal-idUSKBN2AL0G2.
[iv] “Al Shabaab attacks military base in Hirshabelle,” Mareeg, February 22, 2021, https://mareeg.com/al-shabaab-oo-weerar-ku-qaaday-saldhig-ciidan-oo-ku-yaalla-hirshabeelle/; and Rahma Bayrakdar and Jessica Kocan, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – January 11, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, January 11, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-january-11-2021.
[v] “We will soldier on with protests, Somali opposition vows as electoral talks fail,” Hiiraan, February 22, 2021, http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2021/Feb/181751/we_will_soldier_on_with_protests_somali_opposition_vows_as_electoral_talks_fail.aspx; Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 19, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 19, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-19-2021; “Somali opposition petitions UNSC for removal of Farmaajo,” Goobjoog, February 22, 2021, http://goobjoog.com/english/somali-opposition-petitions-unsc-for-removal-of-farmaajo/; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – February 8, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 8, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-february-8-2021.