Somalia and the US Confirm Link Between Al-Shabaab and Houthis
Security officials from the United States and Somalia have confirmed that ties between Al-Shabaab and Yemen’s Houthis are growing stronger. An investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed that the two groups cooperate in obtaining weapons, share military training, and maintain direct contact.
General Dagvin Anderson, commander of US Africa Command, stated that Al-Shabaab is receiving advanced weapons and training while the Houthis expand their geographic influence. Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbalolshe, former head of Somali intelligence, noted that their shared hostility toward the West and Israel has led them to overlook their differences.
The investigation identified Jibril Yahye Ali as Al-Shabaab’s liaison with the Houthis. It reported that at least 100 Al-Shabaab fighters were sent to Yemen for training by the Houthis, while Houthi trainers traveled to Somalia. US forces killed Jibril in a February 2025 airstrike, but the connection between the groups has continued.
