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 claims VBIED attack against Emirati-backed Yemeni forces in al Bayda; al Houthi forces claim missile attack on Saudi special forces in Jizan region; STC representative calls for securing oil-producing areas in Hadramawt
Horn of Africa: AFRICOM airstrike targets al Shabaab near Jilib; al Shabaab detonates IED targeting Puntland Security Forces
Yemen Security Brief
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed to detonate a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) targeting Emirati-backed Yemeni security forces in Maswarah district in al Bayda governorate in central Yemen on June 26. AQAP claimed to inflict multiple casualties.[1]
Al Houthi forces claimed to fire a missile at a Saudi special forces base in region in southwestern Saudi Arabia on June 25. Al Houthi forces claimed to inflict multiple casualties.[2]
A representative from the Transitional Political Council for the South (STC) promised on June 26 to secure oil-producing areas in in southern Yemen from President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government. STC representative Ali al Kathiri stated that STC forces would end the “occupation” of Hadramawt governorate’s oil fields. The STC is an Emirati-backed southern Yemeni secessionist organization.[3]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting al Shabaab militants near al Shabaab-controlled in Middle Jubba region in southern Somalia on June 24. The strike killed one militant.[4]
Al Shabaab militants attacked Puntland Security Forces with an improvised explosive device (IED) near Af Urur village in the of northern Somalia on June 25. The blast killed four Puntland soldiers. Al Shabaab captured Af Urur on June 8 after Puntland Security Forces withdrew from the village.[5]
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[1] “AQAP Claims Suicide Bombing on UAE-backed “Elite” Forces in al-Bayda’,” SITE Intelligence Group, June 26, 2019, English translation available by subscription at www.siteintelgroup.com.
[2] “A ballistic missile is your hand to command the invaders and mercenaries off Jizan” 26 September, June 26, 2019, https://26sep.net/news_details.php?lang=arabic&sid=158201.
[3] “Al Kathiri: Abu Auja wants his forces to expand to reoccupy the areas very close to oil production Hadramout plateau,” Hadramout, June 26, 2019, https://www.7adramout.net/hadramout21/2417376/%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D8%B6%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AA---%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%8A--%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%84%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A3%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B7-%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%B6%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D8%B6%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AA.html.
[4] “U.S. airstrike targets al Shabaab in support of the Federal Government of Somalia,” United States Africa Command, June 25, 2019, https://www.africom.mil/media-room/pressrelease/31983/u-s-airstrike-targets-al-shabaab-in-support-of-the-federal-government-of-somalia.
[5] Harun Maruf, Twitter, June 25, 2019, https://twitter.com/HarunMaruf/status/1143545593421324288; and Mohammed Omar Ahmed, “Al-Shabaab Captures Af-Urur Town in Somalia’s Puntland Region,” Bloomberg, June 8, 2019, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-08/al-shabaab-captures-af-urur-town-in-somalia-s-puntland-region.
