Gulf of Aden Security Review – August 31, 2022

Yemen: Major Houthi-initiated clashes in Taiz threaten last road connecting Taiz city to Aden; Houthis accuse Yemeni government of initiating attacks in Taiz; Yemeni government suspends truce negotiations; UN envoy discusses truce with Yemeni foreign minister

Somalia: Al Shabaab attacks local militia forces in central Somalia; IS–S assassinates district official in Mogadishu; US-trained forces secure villages in south-central Somalia

Yemen Security Brief:

The Yemeni government claimed that the Houthi movement attempted to seize the last open road connecting Taiz city with Aden governorate on August 29.^[i] The government said that the Houthis killed ten Yemeni soldiers and wounded seven more. The Taiz Military Axis said that the Yemeni Army repulsed the attack, killing 23 Houthi fighters and wounding 30 more on August 29.^[ii] The attack reportedly lasted roughly ten hours.

The head of the Houthi negotiating delegation in Amman accused the Yemeni government of “creating obstacles and thwarting peace efforts” in response to the clashes in Taiz on August 29. Iranian Arabic-language media cited “local sources” accusing “Islah militias” of attacking Houthi forces on August 29 to “impede negotiations.”^[iii]

The Yemeni negotiating delegation in Amman suspended further negotiations in response to the attacks on August 29.^[iv] The head of the Yemeni delegation said that the Houthi attack on August 28 and 29 “undermined” any Houthi intentions to lift the “siege” on Taiz city.^[v]

The Yemeni foreign minister met with Grundberg to discuss the truce in the context of the “recent [Houthi] attacks… in Taiz,” on August 31.^[vi]  UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg condemned “all acts of escalation.” Grundberg did not cast blame on any actor.

Somalia Security Brief:

Al Shabaab attacked local Ma’awisley militia forces at El Adde village, 60 kilometers west of Beledweyne town, Hiraan region, central Somalia, on August 31.[vii] Villagers claimed the fighting killed seven people, although it was unclear which side the deceased fought for. The Somali National Army cleared several villages in the same area without any fighting on August 24.[viii]

Islamic State–Somalia (IS–S) militants assassinated a Yaqshid district official in the Karan district of Mogadishu on August 30.[ix] The assassins attached an improvised explosive device to the official’s car. IS–S claimed the attack on August 31.[x]

US-trained Danab special forces secured several villages in western Jowhar district, Middle Shabelle region, on August 30. Danab commanders said soldiers carried out house searches to ensure al Shabaab militants were not hiding in the area.[xi]