Gulf of Aden Security Review – July 21, 2023

Yemen: AQAP mortars Shabwani Defense Forces position in Shabwah; Houthis engage in complex battle against local tribes; AQAP linked media distributes image implying death of al Zawahiri; AQAP announces it will resume publishing Sada Magazine

Somalia: SNA forces clear al Shabaab checkpoints near besieged city in southern Somalia, and al Shabaab partially lifts the siege; Danab and Gorgor commandos clear contested towns in north-central Somalia with US air support; al Shabaab assassinates a former government official

Yemen Security Brief

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters conducted a mortar attack targeting Shabwah Defense Forces in al Qana’a, al Musayniah district, Abyan governorate, southern Yemen on July 19.[i]

Houthi-backed al Salem tribe fought a three-day battle against al Saida-backed Dhu Mohammed tribe as part of the larger retaliation campaign of Houthis against al Saida tribe in al Marashi district, al Jawf governorate, northern Yemen, on July 21.[ii]

AQAP announced on July 19 that it will resume publishing “Sada al Malahem” propaganda magazine for the first time since 2011.[iii]

Somalia Security Brief

US-trained Danab and Turkish-trained Gorgor forces conducted a joint operation with aerial support from US Africa Command (AFRICOM) near the villages of El Qurac, Gal Libaax, and Hareeri Kalle in El Dheere district, Galgudud region, central Somalia, on July 19.[iv] The Federal Government of Somalia reported that the operation killed nearly 100 al Shabaab militants.[v] AFRICOM confirmed that its airstrike on Hareeri Kalle killed five militants.[vi]

A lone al Shabaab gunman assassinated former Deputy Commissioner of Awdhegle district of the Lower Shabelle region Faqay Abdulle Mayow in Hamar Jajab district, Mogadishu, on July 19.[vii]

The Somali National Army (SNA) cleared two al Shabaab checkpoints near El Bashir and Jameco Cabdi-Guray in Burhakaba district, Bay region, south-central Somalia, on July 20.[viii] Al Shabaab used the checkpoints for its siege of Baidoa. The SNA reportedly killed 25 militants. Al Shabaab partially lifted the siege on July 21 after local leaders reportedly helped negotiate a deal.[ix]