Bodies of Somali Al-Shabaab Fighters Found Among Houthi Casualties on Yemen's West Coast

Yemen's anti-Houthi National Resistance Forces (NRF), led by Tareq Saleh and aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government, said on September 7, 2026 that it found the bodies of Somali Al-Shabaab fighters among Houthi casualties from recent clashes on Yemen's west coast, identified through documents and personal belongings. The NRF said the discovery 'indicates co-ordination between the Iran-backed militia and armed groups across the region' — the second such reported discovery of Al-Shabaab operatives fighting alongside Houthi forces in Yemen. The claim has not been independently verified. It follows earlier reporting that Al-Shabaab opened communications with the Houthis in 2024 seeking anti-aircraft weapons, drones and shoulder-fired rockets, and that more than 100 Al-Shabaab fighters have travelled to Yemen for Houthi-run training, deepening concerns over an emerging Horn of Africa-Red Sea militant nexus.