Emily Milliken
On June 11, United States intelligence made a startling claim: Yemen’s Houthi rebels are looking to cooperate with Al Qaeda’s Somali affiliate al-Shabaab and are discussing a deal to provide the Somali fighters with weapons.
The potential agreement would reportedly provide advanced weapons systems to al-Shabaab in return for much-needed revenue for the Houthis. Still, the deal would also mean a new strategic relationship that could benefit the rebels. While it is unclear exactly what kind of weapons would be exchanged, al-Shabaab already has access to small arms and surveillance drones through its prolific smuggling network and the black market in Somalia. Thus, the Houthis are most likely offering attack drones or surface-to-air missiles because more advanced systems like anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles would require significant training and logistical assistance that would be difficult for al-Shabaab to obtain, given the risks associated with Houthi and al-Shabaab militants traveling.
Although United States officials have not discovered any direct evidence of weapon exchanges occurring at this time, even the possibility of these two groups putting their sectarian differences aside to cooperate should be a concern. Al-Shabaab is trying to establish jihadist rule over territory in Somalia. The Houthis, a Zaydi Shia rebel group backed by the regime in Tehran, are fighting the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and, since November, have been focused on maritime attacks targeting vessels they see as allied with Israel. Nevertheless, the Houthis are following in the footsteps of their backers in Iran, who have, on occasion, worked with Al Qaeda and its affiliates pragmatically, even harboring some of its most senior leadership.
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