Several Al-Shabab fighters reportedly killed fighting alongside Houthis in Yemen

Somali fighters allegedly affiliated with Al-Shabaab have reportedly been killed while fighting alongside Houthi forces in western Yemen, raising fresh concerns over the expanding links between the two armed groups.

Yemen’s anti-Houthi National Resistance Forces said the bodies of Somali fighters were found among Houthi combatants killed in recent clashes along Yemen’s western coast.

According to The National, the NRF said identification documents and other materials recovered from the bodies indicated that the men were members of Al-Shabaab.

The NRF argued that the presence of Al-Shabaab fighters alongside the Houthis represents a new level of cooperation between the Iran-backed Yemeni group and armed organizations operating in the Horn of Africa.

The claims come amid growing reports in recent months of cooperation between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab involving weapons, training and smuggling networks across the Gulf of Aden.

A report published in August by the Century Foundation said the Houthis had expanded weapons and smuggling networks reaching Somalia, Sudan and other countries around the Red Sea.

The report described the alleged Al-Shabaab relationship as one of the clearest examples of the Houthis expanding their activities beyond Yemen and establishing links with armed groups outside the country.

Links Reportedly Began in 2024
According to the Century Foundation, Al-Shabaab began developing contacts with the Houthis in early 2024, seeking access to anti-aircraft weapons and drones.

The group was reportedly motivated by its vulnerability to U.S. and other airstrikes, as well as the Somali government’s growing use of drones against Al-Shabaab positions.

The report said officials from the two sides met in Sana’a in March 2024, with subsequent discussions focusing on the acquisition and use of explosive drones.

It also reported that Houthi officials traveled to Somalia to train Al-Shabaab members in explosives manufacturing, drone modification and weapons maintenance.

One of the most detailed accounts in the report concerns Ahmed Elmi Samatar, whom the Century Foundation said was arrested by Yemeni security forces in Mukalla in late 2024.

The report said Samatar admitted to acting as an intermediary between Al-Shabaab and the Houthis and facilitating the travel of Somalis to Houthi-controlled areas for military and ideological training.

He reportedly said he had facilitated the travel of up to 400 Somalis to Yemen for training and helped arrange trips by Houthi engineers to Jilib, a major Al-Shabaab stronghold in southern Somalia.

However, the Century Foundation cautioned that evidence supporting different aspects of the alleged relationship varies in strength. It also said there remains limited evidence that the Houthis have supplied Al-Shabaab with the advanced weapons the Somali group has reportedly sought.

The institute said there is currently no strong evidence that Al-Shabaab has obtained the Houthis’ advanced anti-aircraft missiles or sophisticated drone systems.

Fighting Intensifies in Yemen
The NRF is led by General Tariq Saleh, a relative of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and is among the forces opposing the Houthis in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Fighting in Yemen has intensified again in recent weeks, particularly along the western coast, following years of relative calm between Houthi forces and government-aligned troops.

The United Nations warned in August that Yemen faced its greatest risk of returning to large-scale conflict since the UN-brokered truce of April 2022.

Tensions escalated further on Tuesday after the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks toward cities in southern Saudi Arabia, injuring dozens of people and targeting energy facilities.

If confirmed, the reported deaths of Al-Shabaab fighters while fighting alongside the Houthis would mark a significant development in the relationship between the two groups.

It would suggest that ties previously associated mainly with weapons, smuggling and training may have progressed to the direct participation of Somali fighters in Yemen’s conflict.

Mustaqbal