US officials warn of growing Houthi ties with Somalia’s Al-Shabaab
US officials have warned that increasing cooperation between Yemen’s Houthis and Somalia’s Al-Shabaab poses a heightened threat to regional stability.
Key Takeaways
AIThe Financial Times reported today that US officials have warned of strengthening ties between Yemen’s Houthi group and Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, describing the development as an "escalating threat to regional stability."
According to Asharq, the officials cautioned that Houthi links with Al-Shabaab threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and that the growing partnership with the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group in Somalia gives the Houthis a foothold on both sides of the Gulf of Aden.
The US newspaper quoted a spokesperson for US Africa Command (AFRICOM) as saying that an alliance between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab would give the Houthi group greater ability to disrupt vital maritime routes in the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean.