Gulf of Aden Security Review – January 25, 2023

Yemen: Houthis continue condemnation of United Kingdom; AQAP claims two attacks in Abyan

Somalia: US-trained Danab special forces clear al Shabaab from rural areas in north-central Somalia with likely US drone support; al Shabaab mortars Somali presidential palace in Mogadishu

Yemen Security Brief:

The Houthis continued rhetorical attacks against the United Kingdom (UK) after the UK ambassador supported the Yemeni government’s decisions to raise tariffs and introduce other economic measures.[i] The United Kingdom supported the “economic measures” after Houthi drone attacks targeting southern Yemen’s oil infrastructure undermined government oil revenues.[ii] Houthi President Mahdi al Mashaat accused the United States and United Kingdom of “involvement…[in an] economic war” targeting Yemen on January 24.[iii]

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed two attacks targeting Southern Transitional Council (STC)-backed forces in Abyan governorate, southern Yemen, on January 22-23. AQAP repulsed an attack by STC-backed forces against an AQAP stronghold in Mahfad district on January 22.[iv] AQAP detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting STC-backed forces in Wadi Omran, Mudiyah district, on January 23.[v] The IED killed four soldiers.

Somalia Security Brief:

US-trained Danab special forces with likely US drone support cleared al Shabaab from two rural villages north of Harardhere town, Mudug region, north-central Somalia on January 25.[vi] Somali officials claimed the operation killed 73 al Shabaab members.[vii]

Al Shabaab fired at least seven mortars at the Somali presidential palace in Mogadishu on January 24.[viii] One mortar shell hit a primary school, injuring three people.