MOGADISHU, Somalia — The growing relationship between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Somalia’s al-Shabaab militants is raising concern among US officials and regional security experts, who warn that cooperation between the two groups could increase risks to shipping and trade around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis have reportedly supplied weapons to al-Shabaab and provided training in drones, explosives and other military capabilities, according to security officials and experts cited in recent reporting.
US officials have described the developing relationship as an “escalatory” threat to regional stability, warning that cooperation could give al-Shabaab access to new capabilities while allowing the Houthis to extend their reach across the Gulf of Aden.
The concerns come as the Houthis consolidate their position along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The group recently seized the strategic port of Mocha, increasing concerns over the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Growing Military Cooperation
The relationship between the Houthis and al-Shabaab appears to have developed beyond traditional smuggling arrangements.
Recent investigations have reported weapons transfers, military training and direct contacts between representatives of the two groups. At least 100 al-Shabaab fighters are reported to have travelled to Yemen for Houthi training, while Houthi personnel have also travelled to Somalia to provide instruction.
Training has reportedly included drone operations, improvised explosive devices and weapons handling.
Somali security experts say the cooperation could allow al-Shabaab to acquire more sophisticated technology, although there remains uncertainty over whether the group has obtained some of the advanced weapons it has reportedly sought.
Security analysts have also reported increased contacts between Houthi representatives and al-Shabaab commanders in Jilib, a stronghold of the militant group in southern Somalia.
Concerns Over Maritime Security
Tim Lenderking, a former US special envoy for Yemen, said the relationship could give the Houthis an additional position from which to exert pressure around the Bab el-Mandeb.
The Houthis have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, while al-Shabaab operates along the Somali coast on the opposite side of the Gulf of Aden.
US officials and regional analysts therefore fear that greater cooperation could create additional risks for vessels using the maritime corridor.
Peter Salisbury, a researcher who has studied the relationship, said the Houthis appeared interested in using Somalia to monitor activity in the Gulf of Aden and potentially extend their operational reach.
However, analysts have cautioned that the ultimate scope of the partnership remains uncertain.
Ideological Differences Overcome By Shared Interests
The Houthis and al-Shabaab belong to different Islamic sectarian traditions. The Houthis are rooted in the Zaydi Shia tradition, while al-Shabaab is an al-Qaeda-linked Sunni militant organisation.
Despite those differences, analysts say shared hostility towards Israel and the United States, alongside mutual financial and military interests, has helped facilitate cooperation.
Somalia Already Facing Multiple Security Threats
The development comes as Somalia continues its fight against al-Shabaab, while US and Somali forces conduct operations against the militant group.
US Africa Command said it carried out an airstrike against an al-Shabaab weapons and ammunition facility near Saacow in southern Somalia on September 14. AFRICOM has also reported further strikes against al-Shabaab targets in September.
Somalia is also dealing with renewed piracy activity along parts of its coastline, adding another layer of concern for maritime security in the western Indian Ocean.
