Yemen: Saudi-led coalition claims to intercept al Houthi explosive-laden drones targeting Saudi Arabia; UN Security Council report finds al Houthis responsible for December 2020 attack on Aden airport; al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clash in Ma’rib governorate
Horn of Africa: Al Shabaab attacks AMISOM base in Middle Shabelle region; al Shabaab clashes with security forces in Lower Jubba region; al Shabaab kills Puntland intelligence officer in Mudug region; SFG and Somali state representatives schedule election negotiations in Mogadishu
Yemen Security Brief:
The Saudi-led coalition claimed to intercept two al Houthi Qasef-2K drones targeting Khamis Mushait city in southern Saudi Arabia on April 2. The al Houthi movement claimed to target the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with four explosive-laden drones on April 1.[i]
A UN Security Council report released on March 29 found the al Houthi movement responsible for the attack on Aden airport in December 2020. The attack killed 22 people.[ii]
Al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces clashed along the al Kassara front in central Yemen’s Ma’rib governorate on April 1. Al Houthi and anti–al Houthi forces previously clashed along the al Kassara front on March 30.[iii]
Horn of Africa Security Brief:
Al Shabaab attacked a Burundian African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base near Mahaday town in central Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region on April 1. Al Shabaab previously attacked a Burundian AMISOM base in Mahaday on March 21.[iv]
Al Shabaab and security forces clashed near Kismayo city in southern Somalia’s Lower Jubba region on April 1. Al Shabaab clashed with Somali National Army and Jubbaland State troops near Kismayo on March 28.[v]
Al Shabaab killed a Puntland Intelligence Services officer in Galkayo, the capital of central Somalia’s Mudug region, on March 31. Al Shabaab released a series of interviews in mid-March with former prisoners from a Puntland State prison, accusing Puntland State security forces of torturing prisoners.[vi]
The Somali Federal Government (SFG) and Somali state representatives plan to meet in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on April 3 to discuss federal presidential elections plans. The SFG and state representatives previously canceled planned election negotiations scheduled for March 30.[vii]
[i] “Houthi forces announce drone attack on Saudi airbase,” AMN al Masdar News, April 2, 2021, https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/houthi-forces-announce-drone-attack-on-saudi-airbase/; and “The al Houthis are attacking Riyadh with drones, and Washington says that the talks with its envoy to Yemen were fruitful,” Al Jazeera, April 1, 2021, https://www.aljazeera.net/news/politics/2021/4/1/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%ad%d8%af%d8%ab-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b3%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b3%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d9%88%d8%ab%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%ac%d9%85%d9%86%d8%a7.
[ii] Jonathan Landay, Ghaida Ghantous, Mahmoud Mourad, “Exclusive: U.N. team finds Houthis launched Aden airport attack that killed 22 – diplomats,” Reuters, March 29, 2021, https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-attack-exclusive-int-idUSKBN2BL30R
[iii] “Ansar Allah is advancing in Marib… and intensive raids by the Arab coalition,” Al Bawaba, April 1, 2021, https://www.albawaba.com/ar/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A3%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%AB%D9%81%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A-1419863; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 31, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 31, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-31-2021.
[iv] “Fighting erupts in Middle Shabelle region,” Radio Dalsan, April 1, 2021, https://www.radiodalsan.com/dagaal-ka-dhacay-gobolka-shabeellaha-dhexe-iyo-khasaaro-ka-dhashay/; Liibaan Jeexoow, “Attacks on the bases on the outskirts of Kismayo and Mahaday,” Somalimemo, April 1, 2021, https://somalimemo.info/articles/14470/Weeraro-lagu-qaaday-saldhigyo-kuyaal-duleedyada-Kismaayo-iyo-Mahadaay; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 22, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 22, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-22-2021.
[v] Liibaan Jeexoow, “Attacks on the bases on the outskirts of Kismayo and Mahaday,” Somalimemo, April 1, 2021, https://somalimemo.info/articles/14470/Weeraro-lagu-qaaday-saldhigyo-kuyaal-duleedyada-Kismaayo-iyo-Mahadaay; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 29, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 29, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-29-2021.
[vi] Liibaan Jeexoow, “Puntland intelligence officer killed in north Galkayo,” Somalimemo, April 1, 2021, https://somalimemo.info/articles/14468/Sarkaal-katirsan-Sirdoonka-Puntland-oo-waqooyiga-Gaalkacyo-lagu-dilay; “Al Shabaab claims responsibility for Galkayo killings,” Radio Dalsan, April 1, 2021, https://www.radiodalsan.com/al-shabaab-oo-sheegtay-masuuliyadda-dilka-ka-dhacay-magaalada-gaalkacyo/; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 22, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 22, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-22-2021.
[vii] “Federal State Heads expected to meet on April 3, 2021,” Mustaqbal Radio, April 2, 2021, https://www.mustaqbalradio.net/federal-state-heads-expected-to-meet-on-april-3-2021/; and Lauren Detter and Amelia Frederking, “Gulf of Aden Security Review – March 31, 2021,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, March 31, 2021, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-31-2021.