Yemen's Houthi Rebels Expand Ties into Horn of Africa

 The CTC Sentinel published in December 2024 an analysis titled "Looking West: The Houthis' Expanding Footprint in the Horn of Africa" by Michael Horton.  

The Yemen-based Houthi rebels are solidifying ties with al-Shabaab and arms smugglers that operate in Somalia and Puntland.  The Houthis are also improving their relations with al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula, which is aligned with al-Shabaab.  

Three Africans Recruited from Jails Fought for Russia in Ukraine

 Reuters published on 22 June 2023 a story titled "The Africans Fighting on Russia's Front Line in Ukraine" by Giulia Paravicini, Filipp Lebedev, and Felix Light.

This is the story about three young Africans--two students from Tanzania and Zambia and a taxi driver from Cote d'Ivoire--who ended up being recruited from prison by the Wagner Group and sent to the front lines in Ukraine.  The two students from Tanzania and Zambia died in battle; the taxi driver from Cote d'Ivoire survived.

While in Russia, all three became involved in drugs, were convicted, and sent to jail where they were recruited by the Wagner Group to fight in Ukraine.  Their story is one of soaring ambitions and broken dreams.  Only the young man from Cote d'Ivoire survived.  After completing his service with the Wagner Group, Russia expunged his drug conviction and he reportedly is undergoing rehabilitation.   

Maritime Crime off the Horn of Africa

The University of Copenhagen Centre for Military Studies published in September 2018 a major study titled "Navigating Changing Currents: A Forward-looking Evaluation of Efforts To Tackle Maritime Crime Off the the Horn of Africa" by Katja Lindskov-Jacobsen and Julie Hoy-Carrasco.

The report notes that pirates in Somalia shifted their focus away from piracy towards more profitable illegal maritime activities such human trafficking and weapons smuggling. The authors argue this new situation calls for interventions aimed at building stability through countering maritime crime that is equally agile and/or comprehensive both in terms of the types of crime being targeted and the geographical scope.

Somali and Ethiopian Migrants Go to Yemen and Saudi Arabia

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 1 December 2017 an account titled "Path of Insecurity for Migrants Leaving the Horn" by Peter Tinti, ISS consultant.

The author notes that many more Ethiopian and Somali migrants are traveling from the Horn of Africa to, of all places, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, than to Europe. Political discrimination and lack of economic opportunity are the primary drivers for Ethiopians while Somalis cite continuing conflict, famine and employment opportunities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

North Korean Activities in Africa

The Swiss-based Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime published in September 2017 a report titled "Diplomats and Deceit: North Korea's Criminal Activities in Africa."

The report presents an overview of evidence implicating North Korea in criminal activity ranging from smuggling and drug trafficking to the manufacturing of counterfeit money and black market cigarettes.