Gulf of Aden Security Review
A regularly updated review of both Yemen and the Horn of Africa covering topics related to security, governance, and militant activity.
Yemen: AQAP launches complex attack on Shabwani Defense Forces post in southern Yemen
Somalia: Al Shabaab suicide siege targets Mogadishu hotel; accidental explosion kills dozens of children in southern Somalia; al Shabaab assassinates a regional intelligence official in southern Somalia; Somali forces with international drone support clear al Shabaab bases in southern Somalia
Yemen Security Brief
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) launched a complex attack targeting a 1st Shabwani Defense Forces Brigade post in al Musina’a, Shabwah governorate, southern Yemen, on June 10.[i] The attack killed two soldiers and wounded at least three others.[ii] The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and machine guns. Local officials claimed Shabwani Defense Forces reinforcements from Ataq helped repel the attack and killed several AQAP militants.[iii] The 1st Shabwani Defense Forces Brigade cleared several alleged AQAP hideouts near Ataq in response to the attack on June 13.[iv]
Somalia Security Brief
Al Shabaab launched a complex suicide siege targeting the Pearl Beach Hotel in Abdiaziz district, Mogadishu, on June 9. Witnesses heard at least two suspected suicide blasts before at least five gunmen stormed the hotel.[v] Somali security forces claimed to evacuate 84 civilians before special Harama’ad police killed all attackers, ending the siege around 2 AM on June 10.[vi] Somali media said at least 15 people died in the attack.[vii] Somali police said the attackers killed six civilians and three soldiers.[viii] Al Shabaab claimed the attackers killed 29 people.[ix]
Children accidentally set off a piece of unexploded ordinance in Muraale, Qoryooley district, Lower Shabelle, southern Somalia, on June 9.[x] The explosion killed at least 22 children and five others and wounded dozens more.[xi]
Al Shabaab assassinated the regional National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) head for Marka district with a car bomb in Marka town, Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia, on June 10.[xii]
NISA forces with international drone support cleared al Shabaab bases near Bulo Mohamed Abdalla, Qoryooley district, Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia, on June 11.[xiii] Somali officials claimed to kill 19 al Shabaab militants.
[i] Al Mashad al Yemeni, “AN official announcement by the local authority in Shabwa reveals the identity of the party that attacked the Shabwa Defense and the outcome of the attack,” June 11, 2023, https://www.almashhad-alyemeni.com/256874.
[ii] SMA News, “Shabwa: Two soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack on a security point in al Musaina,” June 11, 2023, https://smanews.org/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d9%86%d9%88%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%8a/339546.
[iii] SMA News, “Shabwa: Two soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack on a security point in al Musaina,” June 11, 2023, https://smanews.org/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d9%86%d9%88%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%8a/339546.
[iv] Aden Time, “Shabwa Defense Forces launched a counterattack on the terrorist dens, inflicting heavy losses on them,” June 13, 2023, https://www.aden-tm.net/news/249841.
[v] Jamaal Maxamed, “Haramcad forces ended the attack on the Pearl Beach hotel,” Caasimada, June 10, 2023, https://www.caasimada.net/ciidamada-ammaanka-oo-soo-afjaray-weerarkii-hotel-pearl-beach-khasaaraha; SONNA, “Somali security forces kill 7 terrorists who raided Pearl Beach Hotel in Mogadishu,” June 10, 2023, https://sonna.so/en/somali-security-forces-kill-7-terrorists-who-raided-pearl-beach-hotel-in-mogadishu.
[vi] Jamaal Maxamed, “Haramcad forces ended the attack on the Pearl Beach hotel;” SONNA, “Somali security forces kill 7 terrorists who raided Pearl Beach Hotel in Mogadishu.”
[vii] Radio Dalsan, “Security Forces Neutralize Al-Shabaab Siege on Pearl Beach Hotel, Death Toll Rises to 15,” June 10, 2023, https://www.radiodalsan.com/security-forces-neutralize-al-shabaab-siege-on-pearl-beach-hotel-death-toll-rises-to-15.
[viii] Radio Risaala, “The Somali police released a report on the attack that took place in Lido,” June 10, 2023, https://radiorisaala.com/booliska-soomaaliya-oo-war-kasoo-saaray-weerarkii-ka-dhacay-liido.
[ix] SITE Intelligence Group, “[UPDATE] Shabaab Claims Ongoing Suicide Raid at Pearl Beach Hotel in Lido Beach, Mogadishu,” June 10, 2023, available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com.
[x] Goobjoog, “Several dead in explosion at a football field in Lower Shabelle,” June 10, 2023, https://goobjoog.com/english/several-dead-in-explosion-at-a-football-field-in-lower-shabelle.
[xi] UNICEF, “UNICEF deeply shocked by the reported deaths of more than 20 children in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia following the detonation of a discarded explosive device,” June 10, 2023, https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-deeply-shocked-reported-deaths-more-20-children-lower-shabelle-region-somalia#:~:text=MOGADISHU%2C%2010%20June%202023%20%2D%20%E2%80%9C,where%20the%20children%20were%20playing.
[xii] Radio Dalsan, “Somali intelligence officer killed in IED blast,” June 11, 2023, https://www.radiodalsan.com/somali-intelligence-officer-killed-in-ied-blast.
[xiii] SONNA, “Somali security forces kill 19 al Shabaab terrorists,” June 11, 2023, https://sonna.so/en/somali-security-force-kills-19-al-shabaab-terrorists.
