A new Century International report says Yemen’s Houthi movement trained between 120 and several hundred Al-Shabaab fighters in weapons, explosives and basic drone operations, highlighting deepening military ties between the two groups.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (Somali Report) — Yemen’s Houthi movement has trained between 120 and several hundred Al-Shabaab fighters at camps in Yemen, including in the use of small arms, improvised explosive devices and basic drone operations, according to a new report by Century International.
The report, From Spoke to Hub: The Houthis in Africa, provides fresh details on growing military ties between the Somali jihadist group and the Houthis, a relationship that United Nations experts have been monitoring since 2024.
Yemeni, Somali and other regional security officials cited by the researchers estimated that between 120 and several hundred Al-Shabaab members had received training in Yemen.
The findings exceed figures previously documented publicly by UN experts.
A UN panel monitoring Al-Shabaab said in November 2025 that four groups of about 30 fighters each had travelled to Yemen for training during the previous year.
One of those groups left Somalia in October 2024 from a remote coastal location between Barawe and Homboy in Lower Shabelle before travelling to Mukalla in southern Yemen.
The fighters were later taken to an area outside Hodeida, where they spent almost two months learning to use firearms and anti-aircraft weapons and to manufacture improvised explosive devices, the UN panel said.
Century International said other groups subsequently travelled to Yemen. Security officials and regional sources told its researchers that three additional groups, each comprising about 33 fighters, had made the journey.
The report was written by Peter Salisbury, Nadwa Al-Dawsari and Jay Bahadur as part of a two-year research project known as Beyond the Axis.
The authors said their findings were based on nearly 100 interviews with military, security and intelligence officials, as well as documents, telephone records, captured vessel data, satellite imagery and maritime tracking information.
Somali intermediary
Among the report’s key findings is information concerning Ahmed Ilmi Samatar, a Somali national arrested by Yemeni security forces in Mukalla in 2024.
Century International described Samatar as an Al-Shabaab member who acted as an intermediary between the group and the Houthis.
According to interrogation records obtained by researchers, Samatar acknowledged serving as a liaison between the two sides.
The records indicate that in June 2024 he travelled through Al-Shabaab-controlled areas, including Jilib, coordinating the movement of Yemeni nationals described in documents as “guests”.
They included two Houthi military engineers who travelled to the Jubba region to train Al-Shabaab members in making IEDs, modifying drones and maintaining weapons, the report said.
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Interrogation records also indicated that Samatar participated in meetings concerning the “completion of a weapons document” and the selection of men for training.
Samatar said he had facilitated the travel of up to 400 Somalis to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen for military and ideological training.
That figure does not mean all 400 were Al-Shabaab fighters, however. Century International estimated that between 120 and several hundred Al-Shabaab members were likely to have received training.
The findings are consistent with evidence presented by a UN panel on Yemen in October 2025, which reported that a Somali intermediary arrested in Yemen had provided information about two Houthi engineers who travelled to Jilib.
The UN experts said the engineers trained Al-Shabaab in IED construction, drone modification and weapons maintenance, describing the relationship as having “advanced”.
Seeking air defence capabilities
Century International said one of Al-Shabaab’s main motivations for strengthening ties with the Houthis was its desire to improve its ability to defend against airstrikes.
The group began developing contacts with the Houthis in early 2024, seeking access to anti-aircraft weapons and drones, according to the report.
Airstrikes have long been an important part of operations against Al-Shabaab in Somalia, particularly those conducted by the United States.
The Houthis, meanwhile, have extensive experience with missiles and drones and have downed several US MQ-9 Reaper drones over Yemen.
A separate UN report has said Al-Shabaab has prioritised expanding its weapons capabilities and spends a significant portion of its operational finances acquiring weapons through networks involving the Houthis and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Century International cautioned, however, that there is still no clear evidence that the Houthis have transferred their most advanced military capabilities to Al-Shabaab, such as sophisticated drones or surface-to-air missile systems.
That distinction is significant because basic training in drone operations and explosives is far less advanced than transferring weapons capable of seriously threatening aircraft or enabling long-range attacks.
The UN has also increased scrutiny of links between Yemen and Somalia. The Security Council has maintained an arms embargo on Al-Shabaab and extended international authority to intercept vessels carrying weapons, military equipment and components used to manufacture IEDs until November 30, 2026.
Century International concluded that the Houthi-Al-Shabaab relationship has not yet reached the level of a confirmed transfer of the most advanced military capabilities.
But the training and exchanges documented by researchers and UN experts suggest that ties between the two groups have moved beyond simple contact and weapons trading towards cooperation involving military training and technical expertise.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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